


The Blue Hour

by ReginaCorda



Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff and Angst, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I haven't decided yet, Original Content - Freeform, Potential smut (?), Reconcile, gorgeous rainbow glowstick, kinda super gay, perfect goth princess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:54:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 52,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21824734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReginaCorda/pseuds/ReginaCorda
Summary: Karolina and Nico unknowingly come together for a Pride ski trip in Canada three and a half years after the battle at the Hostel. Deeply hurt from various trespasses, the two explore the sins they've committed against one another and will hopefully find themselves, and each other, again.On temporary hiatus. I'll be back, but I want to get some material put together before I update again, so you can have some confidence with  scheduled chapter drops. I love you all and I'm not going anywhere ❤
Relationships: Karolina Dean/Nico Minoru
Comments: 62
Kudos: 317





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> All right, lovelies, we're back at it again! Good to see you all, and for those new to the Regina Train, welcome aboard! It's gonna be wild, exotic, and potentially erotic, so please be sure to remain seated at all times while the plot is in motion. If you have not signed the non-disclosure agreement or waiver leaving me free from all responsibility involving emotional trauma, please don't panic, we have copies readily available. We also have these adorable pens free to good homes, it's a pretty good deal, sign a paper get a pen. Can't beat it, folks. 
> 
> I honestly don't know what I'm doing here. All I do know is that Season Three left me an emotional wreck and I gotta do something about it, so here we are! 
> 
> IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED SEASON THREE... please do so before you embark on this journey with us. I don't wanna spoil anything for y'all, and the story isn't gonna fall off the internet without you. Plus, I only have a vague idea as to where it's gonna go, but I do know its gonna be a fun ride. 
> 
> This is my first multi-chapter Runaways fic, but I'm not new to the business. Been around for a hot minute, but that does not mean I am immune to fallacies and as this is only self-edited please if you see something off, lemme know! I'd love to fix it! If you wanna tell me you enjoyed the chapter, drop a line! Or, if you just want someone to cry with and help you get through these troubling times as another season has binged and gone, I'm game for that too. 
> 
> If you'd rather not leave a string of comments, we can chat on tumblr! Hit me up at cadenceoftherain.tumblr.com I'm not on much anymore, but if you're more comfortable chatting there, I'll check my messages more often.
> 
> This story is on no set schedule. I cranked this babe out in about three-ish days (amidst a new Harry Potter fic, of all things) and just couldn't wait to get the party started with you all. Also my birthday is in two days, Christmas coming, call it the giving spirit, but I'm just happy to be writing again. 
> 
> So, until next time, loves, I'll leave you with this first chapter of The Blue Hour.
> 
> Much love,  
> RC
> 
> Also, edit to add, content warning for smoking, drinking, and an unwanted handsy dudebro. Nothing too serious, but nonetheless.

Wind and snow reign supreme, uncontested this far north. Nights were long and days were cold; the sun was scarce and shy. Snow fell heavy and thick, great fat flakes making vision impossible at times. Birds and squirrels warred over nuts and seeds, while deer and elk and moose had to dig into the frozen earth, desperate for a root or two. 

During what normally would have been day light, clouds covered the sky and hid the sun, but on rare nights, they cleared, and the Aurora lit up the world. Stars blanketed the space behind, far too bright and numerous to count but breathtaking all the same. Fir, pine and spruce trees crowd together, heavy with snow and slouched beneath the weight. Whatever snow the sun had thawed was now frozen again, given new forms of long, sharp icicles dangling ominously overhead. 

The forest was quiet, settling in for another night of howling wind and bitter cold. But a ski lodge was warm and pleasant, well-equipped for the weather and buzzing with activity. 

It had been three and a half years since The Runaways had defeated Morgan. Three and a half years since they'd went their separate ways to discover their own truth and work on themselves. Coming together again had been their parents' idea. Another reunion, hopefully not half so volatile as the first and ideally with less bloodshed and running. 

Karolina wasn't convinced it was a good idea. Sure, trauma-bonds were incredibly strong forces, and only they could understand the battles the others had faced. Their trials and tribulations weren't exactly things one could just dump on a weekend therapist. Treading that fine line between honesty and involuntary hospitalization was a lot of work and very rarely allowed any room for real healing, she knew. 

Nevertheless, and determined to be there for her mother, Karolina had dutifully packed her things, boarded the plane, and arrived in Canada with little thought to who else she might see there. She denied the lift in her chest, quickly squashed whatever little flame of hope had ignited in her. It had no place. She was going for her mother's sake. Not for some offhand, impossible chance. She couldn't afford to be hopeful, and Nico's memory didn't deserve it. 

Three and a half years had passed and she'd seen neither hide nor hair of the girl. No texts, emails, calls, smoke signals, nothing. Radio silence. At first, it hurt. Karolina had ached in ways she had thought impossible. Her whole being was sore and bruised, her spirit diminished and weak. 

Then, she was angry. Nico had spoken of things that made no sense, things she couldn't explain, of time travelers and apologies and promises. Promises that were broken now. She said she wouldn't leave her. She said she'd be in touch. She said she wouldn't be gone long. 

Karolina knew her fear of Nico's darkness had deeply hurt her. She knew Nico felt compelled to explore it, learn about it, just as she did her genetic lineage and abilities. She didn't want to fear her. Didn't want to hurt her. But she was terrified by what she didn't know, and now three years later, wished she had been more patient with her. Wished she had tried harder to see the similarity between her light and Nico's darkness when she first discovered it. 

Deep in her soul, Karolina knew she was gone. Though her plane had landed safely in Tibet, though she had the messages confirming it, there had been no others. An email saying good night was the last she'd heard from the girl who had become her world.

When they parted, it had been on good terms. Karolina had been supportive, encouraging even, crying into her shoulder at the airport as they said their goodbyes. But days passed and she continued to send emails, continued to reach out only to be met with nothing. Weeks passed. Months. A year. Two. Three.

She feared the worst. Nico was dead, succumbed to the darkness inside or whatever vigorous training she was doing. 

Or, maybe even worse than death, Nico had abandoned her after all. Maybe she remembered Karolina's fear for her, maybe she found that trespass impossible to forgive. Maybe her training made for a pleasant, convenient escape from her and her disloyalty.

Karolina wasn't sure, but she did know she had nothing to fear here in the far North. Nico was gone, and while seeing Tina was going to be hard, she felt truly optimistic for the first time in ages. 

When she entered the lodge, she was overjoyed to see her mother. Leslie was just as she'd always been, if perhaps a little grayer now, but her embrace felt as comforting and warm as it did when she was a child. Frank was to join them in a few days, reluctant to see Leslie again after their respective betrayals but keen to see his daughter. 

The Yorkes had already arrived with Gert and Molly, both exuberant and talkative. 

Chase and Victor made quite an appearance, heralded by Chase's bellowing about an open bar and his father, much less violently now, clapping his son's back with a pleasant laugh. 

The Wilders made it in time for dinner, though Xerxes seemed to have other plans that involved running about the lodge and causing mischief as only toddlers can. 

Tina was the last to show, though a dark and private part of Karolina wished she hadn't. She looked the same as she did three years ago, carried herself with the same prideful arrogance, but now, also with a bit of sadness. It tugged at her perfect posture, wore at her flawless complexion in ways that couldn't be seen without a more insightful look. She regarded Karolina with polite disinterest, unwilling for another round of questions about her absent child. 

Karolina didn't speak to her apart from a polite greeting. She had as much desire as Tina did to revisit those wild, desperate grasps at answers only to come up empty. It infuriated her that the woman appeared so calm and unbothered by both Nico's absence and her own raging worry. If she knew anything about Nico, she'd said nothing. 

So it was an understatement to say she was shocked when she saw the ghost of her past.

All chatter stopped when Tina stepped aside and Nico put was on display for the remnants of Pride and Runaways alike. Karolina didn't notice the change immediately, more concerned with her dinner than she was with Tina's arrival, but registered the silence with an awkward, confused regard. Her heart stopped upon seeing her, standing in front of her as if all that time meant nothing. 

Nico had changed. Gone was the black lipstick and dark eyeshadow. Gone were the ripped fishnets and studded bracelets. Instead, she wore casual blue jeans ripped and faded and worn, and what appeared to be a black tank top, over which a red flannel was left open. A woollen peacoat was tucked into her elbow, a gray beanie pulled down over her ears. Black combat boots were the only remains of her past goth ensemble, but they had a place here in the snowy north. 

The girl had aged, though not visibly. She carried an ancient, solemn demeanor, almost stoic and cold. She was confident and stood much like her mother did, though her confidence did not seem to rest entirely with herself, and certainly fled as she found Karolina sitting few precious steps away from her. Her mouth dropped open, her eyes wide and very clearly caught off guard. She cast a glance to her mother, whose back was still to her, as though she had betrayed her. 

When she looked back, desperate to see the blonde, she was met with her retreating figure as she bolted from the dining room. 

Karolina slammed through a door and was immediately hit by frigid night air. It choked her, freezing in her chest. She ignored this, and ran. The snow was up to her knees, but she sloughed through it. Her pants were instantly wetted and freezing cold, but she trudged on as far and as fast as she could. She was vaguely aware of her name being called out and it only spurred her on faster.

It was all for naught, however. Nico was there, ethereal and beautiful and real and alive and _right_ _there._ Nico was there by her side as she fell into the snow, reaching for her though Karolina recoiled, even as a deep and buried piece of her soul screamed for the other girl. 

Karolina could feel her throat constricting. Her breath, rattling in her chest, yearned to break free, to shout curses. But she couldn't. Her throat was too narrow to scream, and beyond that, the tundra was unforgiving, and the last thing she wanted was an avalanche to bury innocent people in her strife. 

"Do not touch me." she growled, somehow acutely aware of Nico's hand reaching for her. Her voice sounded foreign to her, low and rumbling in her throat. 

"I-I won't," Nico whispered, withdrawing. 

Karolina closed her eyes and clenched her jaw against nausea that threatened to overtake her. She drew greedy breaths in through her nose, deep into her lungs. Air burned icy trails through her chest, and she vainly (desperately) tried to convince herself that the cold is what brought tears to her eyes. 

Suddenly, she was breaking. Huge, ugly sobs racked her body, tears spilled down her face in great rivers. With no small effort, she fixed Nico in her gaze. 

"How?" She choked out. "Why? When? Nico… There's so much I don't understand." 

Nico sniffled, unashamed of her own tears. "I… I can explain everything. I swear to you, Karolina, I promise you. I didn't even know you'd be here, Mom said-you know what it doesn't even matter. Karolina," her voice shifted then, pleading. "Please let me explain. You can hate me and curse me, but I beg you." 

"I cant," she said curtly, rushing from shock, straight through sadness, and nearing the precipice of angry hysteria. "Not now, not tonight, not after fucking years of utter silence. Have you any idea what I've thought? What I've done?" Anger seethed through her veins, hot and deadly. She lurched to her feet, breathing uneven but when she spoke her voice was steady, though tears still dripped freely from her chin. 

"I thought you were dead! I mourned you! I lit candles for you! Did you know that? I've told you already. I emailed you over and over and over like some digital age medium writing letters to her deceased lover. I left my heart with you in that fucking airport and you walk in here like-"

"Nothing was easy for me either!" Nico shouted, rising to her feet. Magic perfumed the air between them, wavering but carefully restrained. Wind picked up, and it was impossible to tell if it was at Nico's urging or a natural event. "You've always been so goddamn afraid of what you don't know or what you're not comfortable with! Open up! Accept the possibility that whatever explanation you've made up in your head probably isn't the real one. Obviously it's not the real one. I saw the emails. I read most of them. I know what you thought, and I'm so terribly sorry I couldn't reach out to you. But that doesn't mean you're the only one who felt pain. It hurt me, too. It killed me. But I'm here. And if I'm honest with myself, I'm glad you're here too. But you are right, we can't do this now. Not tonight." She took a deep, steadying breath. The wind died, though the smell of magic lingered thickly. "I want to tell you everything, if you'll let me. But tonight, we should rest. I wasn't ready to face you, and I know you weren't expecting me. So let's cool off. I'm not going anywhere, if you decide to listen." 

And with that, she was gone. In a blink, she had traveled from the wood line to the patio and through the door, without so much as a glance behind her. 

Karolina slowly sank back to the ground, loose snow wrapped cold arms around her. She didn't feel the chill, though. Not this time. She didn't feel anything but an exhaustion eating at her bones, the likes of which she'd never met before. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight yall, get ready for chapter two! I had a wee idea that'll probably turn into a massive rabbit hole that I'm really looking forward to. Here, we have a healthy dose of maternal manipulation, because who doesn't need more trauma? Obviously our heroines do. 
> 
> We'll also see a bit of a Karolina/Chase bromance here. I really liked the idea of Chase acting as a big brother/bestie for Karolina, particularly when Nico just fell off the face the planet and decided to run with it. 
> 
> Last thing, I'm considering making this fic sexually explicit. I'd like to hear your thoughts on it. As I've done with my other explicit scenes, I can break up the sexy times to stand alone as their own chapters and/or give little warnings beforehand. Whatever the case, lemme know what y'all think. 
> 
> Aight, so go on and check out the new chapter, y'all enjoy! 
> 
> Much love,
> 
> RC

Nico's back fell against the door as it closed. She drew a deep shuddering breath, but it did not stop her from shaking. It had nothing to do with the cold, and she was torn between what she wanted to do and what she needed to do. 

Steeling herself, she brushed the snow from her clothes and strode purposefully towards her mother. 

"Can I speak with you? Alone?"

Tina raised one eloquent eyebrow as silence fell over the other parents and Runaways. Gert was glaring at her, though Molly at least seemed not to hate her as she gave her a small smile. "Of course." She excused herself from Geoffrey and Victor, and Nico followed her to a bar outside of the main dining hall. The Minoru matriarch ordered two shots of clear liquor and two vodka martinis. When they arrived, she offered one of each to her daughter. 

"No offense, Mom, but I really don't think drinking is a good idea for me right now," Nico returned.

Tina threw her shot back without a shudder. "I don't think it would hurt. But if you'd rather not," without skipping a beat, she took the other. Stirring her martini with a speared olive, she fixed Nico in her gaze. "You wanted to speak to me?" 

"What the hell were you thinking?" Nico asked shrilly. "You could have told me! You  _ should  _ have told me." 

"But then you wouldn't have come." Tina replied evenly. "The girl is a mess, Nico, and honestly. Taking a month to yourself after your graduation, I can understand, but six? This is just cruel. You needed to see her. She needed to see you. And if pulling the wool over your eyes was what I had to do, then so be it." 

"You're one to speak of cruelty." Nico retorted. "Just because the world is halfway returned to normal, it doesn't change what you've done, or that you're a manipulative bitch. You hurt her tonight. You hurt me tonight. You used me to hurt her." 

Tina sipped at her drink, a smudge of red lipstick left at the rim. She looked most like her old self just then, cold and calculating and dangerous. Returning the glass to its coaster on the bar, she leaned closer to Nico. 

"I did." It wasn't an admission. It was a declaration. "I did because I see what you could have with her. I see what you've lost. And because of what I've lost, I will do whatever I think is necessary to keep you from losing that too. I neglected your father and I didn't appreciate him the last several years of his life. I will carry that weight as long as I draw breath. I don't want you to carry a similar guilt." 

"It is not your place to decide such things for me! Or her!" Nico exclaimed. "We weren't ready."  _ I wasn't ready. _

"Well, now you have to be." Tina replied lowly, almost as though she'd heard her inner monologue. "Think what you want, Nico, call me selfish and manipulative. But I did have your best interest at heart, just as I always have. You just needed a  _ push.  _ I got you started. Now, Nico, do what you will, but don't fuck it up." 

Nico rose as Tina finished the first martini and started the other. "I was just starting to trust you again. And you had to hurt her." 

" _ You _ hurt her, Nico. You could have said something to her."

"Why do you sound like you care so much for her?" Nico snarled. "The whole time we grew up together you never gave any indication you held her in some… regard. Why now?"

The bartender approached then, and asked if she'd like to pay, open a tab or another drink.

"There should already be a tab, last name Yorkes." 

Nico scoffed and dug out her wallet. "Don't even." She threw two twenties on the bar top and indicated she didn't expect change. 

"You're no fun." Her mother chided. 

"Answer the question. Why?"

"Because she loves you, Nico. If I had trained you properly, if I had done more with you, perhaps you wouldn't have needed to go, wouldn't have had to leave her. But I didn't, and now I feel compelled to do what I can to fix it. So I've started it. I say again: don't fuck it up. Now. Go and do whatever it is you need to do." 

That was bullshit, she knew. Even if she had been brought up the way Witches were traditionally raised, she'd still have to complete three years of training in Tibet in order to obtain the control and power she now wielded. But that raised another question, the last one that mattered before she gave her tired, wrung out mind a rest. 

"Did you tell her anything? About Tibet, about the masters, anything?" 

Tina rolled her eyes, affronted. "Of course not." 

And Nico was gone, striding away from her with poise and anger. 

  
  
  


Outside, Leslie joined her daughter, still kneeling in the snow, and wrapped her arms around her freezing body.

"Karolina, you'll catch your death out here," she chided softly, and shrouded her with a thick wool coat still warm from her own body. "Let's go to your cabin, yeah? Have some tea, some time alone, get warmed up and your thoughts together." 

"She's here, Mom." Karolina whispered. "She's here after all that time."

Gingerly, Leslie touched her frozen cheek. "She is," she sighed. "And maybe she has good reasons for doing what she's done. I'm not defending her," she quickly amended, as Karolina's eyes shifted in anger. "But she cares for you, and she wouldn't have just dropped off the face of the earth because she was mad or sad or some other flavor of upset. That's not like her, Karolina."

The blonde sniffled softly and did not reply.

"Let's get you to the cabin and warmed up," her mother said, gently pulling her up by the arm. Her body was stiff from cold, reluctant to cooperate. She was unsteady on her feet, her legs cold and buckling as pins and needles lanced through them. 

They walked around a wall of the building, and found another door that would save Karolina further embarrassment of having to walk by her friends again. Leslie gathered her things quietly while she sat by a blazing mantle, and arranged for a car to drive them up to the cabin reserved for the children of Pride. 

Karolina curled into her mother's side in the car, desperate now for comfort and warmth. Leslie said nothing, content to hold her now twenty-year-old daughter as she once had ages ago when Karolina was small and unbruised by the world. 

They arrived at the "cabin" though it was nothing of the sort. It was big enough to house a large family comfortably and came with every amenity, aside from a pool but the bathrooms and hot tub made up for it. It was the same one they'd always shared as children and younger teens when the parents would trade off which couple chaperoned the house, boasted scars from them too. It was full of memories of simpler, happier times, and Karolina felt guilty for infecting such a place with her grim spirit.

Leslie led her up the slick front steps and settled her in an overstuffed arm chair. She left once to retrieve her suitcases from the car before lighting a fire and setting a kettle to boil. Then, she joined her daughter, painted golden by firefight, sitting solemn and sad. 

"I know you're hurt," Leslie said softly, more understanding than she'd ever been before. "But give her a chance. You couldn't see her pain earlier, but it was there. Be angry with her, but listen to her, too. You've all been though so much, don't hold her own methods of healing against her." 

Karolina sighed, fresh tears wetting her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands. Her body was beginning to thaw out and now ached, tired and sore. 

"I didn't mean to," she said softly. "I was just so… shocked to see her. I didn't want to be upset with her, but I couldn't… I couldn't help but just be angry." 

Leslie rubbed her arm gently. "I know, love," she paused then, before she continued haltingly. "Have you… do you still… hold a candle for her?"

Karolina chuckled, watery and without humor. "A candle?" She shook her head. "I don't even know how to answer that." 

Her mother clucked her tongue softly. "That's okay too." 

When the kettle whistled shrilly, Leslie dutifully rose to take it off the burner and made a cup of lavender and jasmine tea she'd found in the cupboard. She returned to Karolina, and kissed her head. 

"Just get some rest. Tomorrow will have more clarity. Call me if you need anything." She handed her the cup and pulled her coat back on. She paused at the door, and smiled a small smile. "I love you, Kar,"

"Love you, Mom,"

"Good night."

"'Night." 

Karolina didn't move for a long time. She tried to sip at her tea, but the nausea that struck her earlier still lingered in her stomach. Once or twice, she threw a few more logs into the mantle.

Chase was the first to join her at the cabin, and offered her a friendly hug. She accepted it, falling into his warm and familiar embrace easily. He had been there for the worst of it, he had seen her weak and vulnerable. They'd grown closer during that time, even started college together, and he had proven his loyalty since his lapse of judgment at the Hostel. 

"You okay?" He asked softly. 

"Yes. No. I don't know." 

He chuckled, the sound a gentle rumbling under her ear. "Yeah, that's understandable. I imagine you've had enough talk, but you if need me, I'm here." 

A sigh puffed out Karolina's aching cheeks. "Thanks, Chase. Again." 

"Gotta be there for each other, you know. Been through enough hell already, I reckon we might as well stick."

A smile cracked through her stony exterior. "'I reckon,'" she mocked softly. Her expression quickly clouded, however. "What should I do?" 

"You know I can't tell you that," Chase returned, pulling away to look at her fully. "I think you want answers, for certain. But I can't tell you to ask her for them, or what you should do if you get them." 

"I know," she murmured, feeling very small and lost. "I was so mean to her." 

"She deserves it." He said, curtly. "I saw how bad it was, I was there to pick up the pieces. You were hurt, Karolina. You don't have to forgive her." 

The blonde drew a deep breath, rubbing her eyes. "I think I should go lie down, see how I feel tomorrow." 

Chase nodded, and rifled through his bag. "Good idea. Here, take this," in his outstretched hand, a small white bottle was offered to her. "Unisom. Always had to take it if I got stuck bunking with Alex. The man snores loud enough to wake the dead." 

"I remember," Karolina said, chuckling softly as she took the bottle. "Thank you, Chase." 

"Ain't no thing," he replied. "Good night, Kar." 

In her room, Karolina washed the day away. The heat from the water was soothing and chased away any lingering cold or stiffness, made her feel like a person again. She brushed her teeth and took the pills Chase gave her, and curled on her side. The world beyond her window was still and silent, no hint of light to betray the inky darkness. 

Alone with her thoughts and the testimonies of her mother and one of her closest friends, she contemplated the choice before her. She wanted answers, but was uncertain if she should trust Nico again. A deep and secret part of her wanted to, still held on to whatever they'd shared before. Silently, she decided she would approach Nico and ask for her time, if she was still willing to give it, and ride out whatever wave was made. Sighing heavily, she pulled her blankets over her head and begged sleep to take her.

  
  
  


Back at the lodge, Leslie joined Tina, still occupying a seat at the bar. 

"Was that entirely necessary?" She asked exasperatedly, taking a seat next to the Witch. 

Tina rolled her eyes. "Something had to be done. You don't get to be angry at me for getting the ball rolling." 

"I do and I am," Leslie retorted, signaling for the bartender. "Double of Patrón. Don't try to patronize me. You didn't have to do that." 

"I suppose it's too late now," Tina bit. "Just be glad the ice is broken. Karolina will be fine. Give them some time and we'll see how it plays out." 

Leslie's shot arrived with salt and lime. She took it without either. "It was reckless and you'd better hope nothing was compromised."

"Like I said," Tina said, rising. "I guess we'll have to see." 

"I understand why you want this done sooner rather than later, but things take time!" Leslie shouted at her retreating from. Tina did not humor her with a response. 

"Another round, madam?" The bartender asked, unconcerned with their altercation. 

"Please," Leslie replied, cradling her head in her hands. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another thing, sorry for the relatively short chapters. It seemed like a nice cliffhanger to leave y'all on for a few days, but I'm prone to rambling and I'm trying to get better at it. But hey, y'all got two chapters in a week, so that's not bad, right? 
> 
> Thanks for reading ❤


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, lovelies! Little longer chapter, and we have the beginnings of a reconcile, but we're gonna try to keep it tentative, lorde help us. I gotta say, I am looking forward to cuddles and snuggles, but I think our girl Karolina needs some... reassurance. But we should see some reconcile next chapter. 
> 
> Till then, enjoy, and happy holigays!
> 
> Much love, 
> 
> RC

Nico woke to soft cursing coming from another room. She sat upright, groaning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The events of the night prior crashed back with startling clarity, and she felt her stomach turn over. Her back ached from sleeping on the couch, unsure of her welcome in any of the other bedrooms the kids had shared over the years.

She didn't blame them. Her time in Tibet had chipped away at her hard exterior, and she'd learned how to take responsibility for her wrongdoings. She wasn't sorry she'd had to go, but she did wish some things could have been different. 

Dishes clattered in the adjacent kitchen, accompanied by a sudden loud whirring and louder, panicked cursing. Nico got up to investigate and found Molly in a cloud of… dust?

"Molly? What the hell-" 

"Nico, oh thank god, could you just, I think if you unplug the mixer-" 

Nico pulled the plug, and the hand mixer slowed to a stop. The dust, apparently pancake mix, coated the whole kitchen. Wet batter had spewed out of a mixing bowl and left the side of the fridge and the wall behind the stove in a collage of spatter-patterned breakfast art. A yellow mixture, beaten eggs she realized, had not been saved from the wrath of the mixer. Lumps of pancake batter floated amongst the eggs, utterly unsalvageable. 

Nico laughed as she took in the damage to Molly herself. Dry mix was streaked across her forehead and pajamas, one side of her head and ponytail caught the worst of the batter explosion. 

"Look, I tried my best, okay? Turns out I'm not so good with multitasking." 

Nico shook her head and turned all four stove burners off. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh," Nico said lightly. "But I am curious. How, exactly?" 

"Well, I was getting the mix ready, but I spilled milk so I went to clean that up, and just after I started the mix again, I smelled the bacon and so I freaked and forgot to turn off the mixer-" 

"The bacon?" Nico asked. 

Molly just looked at her. 

Nico raised an eyebrow.

The girl's face then clouded with horror. "Sweet holy fuck, the bacon!" She threw the oven open with enough force to rattle the whole stove and thick billowing smoke poured out. Molly nearly reached in and grabbed the baking sheet with her bare hands before Nico swatted them away. 

"You go open windows, keep the smoke away from the detectors and I'll take care of this." 

Molly nodded, relieved, and set about opening windows. Cold air immediately sank inside but sucked out the smoke relatively quickly. Molly used another baking sheet to waft the smoke towards the open windows and luckily no alarms went off.

Together at the counter, they studied the damage. 

"Well?" Molly asked, hopeful. 

Nico quirked an eyebrow and lifted a shrivelled piece of charcoal from the baking sheet. It was completely dry and crumbled as she set it down again. 

"It… could be worse?" 

Molly groaned. "How? How could it be worse?" 

"Well… there wasn't a fire. That's a plus right? Small victories." 

"I guess," Molly sighed, defeated. 

Nico nudged her gently. "Come on, we just have to start over. I'll help this time." 

"It'll take decades to clean, though. We might as well run to McDonald's or something." 

Nico rolled her eyes. "Nah, not decades. Wanna see something cool?" 

Molly brightened instantly, so much like the Molly Nico remembered. "Is it magic?" She asked softly. 

"Normally I don't like using magic for stuff like this, but… special circumstances?" 

Molly nodded, excited. "Very special, I might never ruin a kitchen again in my life." 

"Maybe not," Nico agreed. "We can't let a chance like this go by. Stand over there," 

Molly did as she was asked and watched with rapt attention. Nico centered herself, relaxed and calm, before she began making a series of complicated hand motions. 

Threads of magic, invisible to the eye, stretched out from Nico's body and went to work. The particles of dust lifted themselves from the floor and countertops, wet batter unstuck from the fridge, wall and stove. Even the batter in Molly's hair and clothes lifted and joined the quickly building mass, suspended over the floor. The bowl of beaten eggs emptied itself into the sink, while a soapy brush began scrubbing. Tin foil collapsed around the ruined bacon leaving nothing in the baking sheet, and found a new home in the trash can with the mix/batter mass. Molly had missed a bit of the milk she'd spilled earlier, but that too lifted and joined the eggs in the drain. When everything was clean again, a gentle wind breathed through the house, chasing the last remnants of smoke out. The windows closed of their own accord, and the kitchen was in one piece again.

Silently, Nico thanked the magic and released it. It dissipated as quickly as it had been summoned and Nico dropped her hands. 

"That. Was. Incredible!" Molly shouted, clapping. "That's what you learned while you were gone?" 

"Well, it's a little more complicated than just that…" 

"Whatever, it's awesome." She said, opening her arms to Nico. "And it's good to have you back," 

Nico looked at the offered embrace with trepidation. Slowly, she stepped forward and let Molly wrap her in surprisingly strong arms. She was warm and welcoming and much taller than she remembered, and Nico fell into the embrace more desperately than she cared to admit. 

It shocked her. She hadn't been hugged in three and a half years, and the realization was startling. She hadn't known the warmth of a dear friend in  _ years _ and it overwhelmed her. 

Pulling back, she willed tears away, embarrassed. "It's, ah, it's good to see you, too, Mols."

Concerned, Molly tried to meet her eyes. "Nico? What is this, Nico doesn't cry. The hell is going on?" 

The Witch puffed out a breath, trying to keep herself together. "That time away," she said, clearing her throat. "I… I never met anyone who gave hugs half as good as you do. It's just nice." 

It was a weak deflection from the real truth, but seemed to appease Molly, for she drew her in again. "Well, good, 'cause I have plenty of hugs in stock." 

Nico laughed softly, and let herself be held. Part of her hated this carnal urge, this need for comfort and warmth. Another part, one that was trying to grow, gracefully accepted it and gave over to it fully. 

Molly said nothing, simply held her as she cried. She felt broken and sore as her hands gripped the other girl's muscled shoulders, too hungry for compassion to care for embarrassment. Hot, wet tears made Molly's hair sticky as Nico turned into her neck. 

Undoubtedly, it surprised her. Nico had never been very emotional, but Molly could see need easily and wasn't going to deny her friend something as simple as a comforting hug. She hoped Nico would return the favor if their roles ever reversed. 

Gradually, the tears slowed. Nico pulled away again, wiping at her red cheeks. 

"I'm so sorry," she whispered hoarsely. "I don't know what-"

"Nico, it's fine," Molly replied gently. "People have feelings. You're a person. You're allowed to feel things." 

"I feel like a fucking idot," she admitted. 

Molly shrugged. "You are a fucking idot. But I still love you. Now, was the pancake batter salvageable or is it for the birds too?" 

And just like that, they were cooking together as though an emotional breakdown hadn't occurred. Molly didn't ask any questions about Tibet or her training there. She didn't ask if she was happy to be back or how she felt about things. She had made it clear that she held Nico responsible for what she'd done, but she wasn't going to shove her away either. 

Nico was fine with that. Responsibility for her actions, she was ready to take, had taken already. Explanations and apologies were needed too, but she only wanted to offer them when someone asked for them, not before. 

Busy with cooking, she lost herself in teaching Molly the proper way to dole out pancake batter, that you did  _ not  _ need high heat for everything in the kitchen and how to tell the underside was done when the bubbles stopped. She did a bit of multitasking too, showing her how to chop vegetables and lunch meats for omelettes while the pancakes bubbled. 

"How did you learn all this?" Molly asked after Nico expertly flipped an omelette with a quick flick of her wrist. 

Nico smiled sadly. "My dad taught me. Breakfast was his favorite and we'd cook together on weekends." 

Molly patted her back in apology. "I'm sorry, Nico." 

The Witch shrugged. "No worries. So, Stacy never taught you anything about cooking?" 

"Nah, she's not much good herself. Dale tries, but he likes to get… creative." 

Nico laughed, imagining Dale in a flowery apron in messy kitchen, utterly enthused with whatever concoction he created. 

"Good morning! Wow, something smells-" Gert stopped abruptly. Chase followed behind her, both in their pajamas, and took in Molly and Nico standing in the kitchen. 

"What's happening here?" Gert asked slowly. 

"We made breakfast!" Molly chirped, oblivious. "Gluten-free pancakes, included, Gert. And omelettes! We kinda… burned the bacon though. Sorry, Chase." 

"'We?'" Gert repeated, glaring at Nico. 

"Gert, she needed help, she didn't know-" 

"You don't get to help." Gert hissed. "You don't get to waltz in after three and half years like you went on vacation for a week!" 

"No," Nico agreed, not bothering to raise her voice. "I don't." 

"Then what the fuck makes you think-" 

"I asked her, Gert!" Molly interjected, stepping between them as her sister moved forward. 

That didn't appease her as Gert rounded on Molly. "So you think it's fine that she just up and left us all, is that right?" 

Molly, used to her sister's tantrums, rolled her eyes. "I didn't say that either." 

"What's with all the shouting?" A new voice asked. 

Karolina entered the room wearing fluffy pajama pants and a faded T-shirt. Her hair was falling out of its messy bun, sleep stuck to her eyes and there were imprints lining her skin from where she'd slept. 

And Nico's soul ached. 

She'd almost forgotten how Karolina looked in the mornings as memory did her little justice. She'd forgotten how the blonde tended to shuffle around with her eyes closed, maneuvering about with little care as to who or what she bumped into until she'd had the chance to wake up fully. She'd forgotten how truly and effortlessly beautiful she was. Bed-warm and sleepy, Karolina looked absolutely stunning. 

The Witch turned sharply away, composing herself. Molly might have been kind to her weakness earlier, but she doubted the rest of the Runaways would be as compassionate. 

"Okay, before this all just crashes to pieces," Chase said, before Gert could start shouting again. "Let's sit down, have some coffee, eat some of the pancakes omelettes that Molly and Nico made this morning." 

That caught Karolina's attention. Her eyes widened and she sought out Nico immediately. She wasn't dreaming anymore, and sure enough the Wiccan was there. 

Just as Nico remembered, Karolina did, too. She remembered what it was like to wake up next to her in the morning, how adorable Nico looked wearing shirts that belonged to the blonde. She remembered how Nico would beg her to stay in bed, bribing her with snuggles and kisses. She remembered how warm her chest got when Nico held her, when she listened to her heartbeat. 

Hardening her heart, Karolina looked past her ex-lover. Instead, she met Molly's eyes. "I'd love some of your pancakes, Molly." 

Gert, her brain short-circuiting by how "okay" everyone was making the most un-okay situation, sputtered for a moment before Chase gently led her to the dining room. Alex joined her there, teased by the smells of breakfast, and soon the Runaways found themselves sitting around a table together again. 

Silence permeated the space, broken only by the occasional tap of cutlery on dishware or the pouring of coffee. Gert drank two cups herself to make sure she was seeing everything properly before she lifted her voice. 

"So… are we going to talk about this?" 

"Gert," Chase began, unsure of how volatile the assembly would be. 

"No, she's right," Nico said. Eyes turned to her. "There are things I need to say. Things you all need to know." She sucked in a deep breath. "I just need to know if you're ready." 

"It's been three and a half years, Nico." Alex reminded her, not kindly. "Of course we're ready." 

Nico pushed her plate away from her, half a veggie omelette uneaten, and glanced around the table. No one denied Alex, so she told them. 

"I wasn't raised the way Witches are traditionally raised," she began, fidgeting with her hands. "That much is obvious, given my lackluster performance with the Staff of One when we all first discovered our abilities. In Tibet, there is a coven of masters, Witches who spend their lives teaching and training others, where all Witches go for formal training. They have access to ancient knowledge, they can do things that make Morgan's work look like child's play. 

"I trained under them. I had a lot to catch up on, but I devoted every second to study. Karolina, you knew where I was going, and I can guess you've told them. But what you didn't know, what my mother didn't bother to tell me, was how hard it actually was and how long I would be gone." 

"You didn't know?" Molly asked softly. 

Nico shook her head. "No. I thought it would be like any other school, honestly. But when I arrived at the monastery, they took everything I brought with me. My phone, my laptop, my clothes, any jewelry, your pictures… everything. They tried to take the Staff, but it kept 'reclocating' in my chest, of all places. They wanted us to use magic for anything we needed. We had to summon our clothes, invent ways to translate books and speech, even food sometimes. 

"It was harder than anything I've ever done. It was exhausting in every way your mind, body, and soul can be exhausted. There were times we'd be isolated, left without food and water in complete darkness." 

"But why?" Chase asked. "Why would they do that?" 

Nico lifted one shoulder. "Why not? They were testing us, at first. See what we could do if pushed far enough. They also wanted to weed out the ones who had potential from those who didn't. Those who cracked under pressure. They didn't last long, and usually become hedge witches."

"Hedge witches?" Molly said. 

"Like Morgan's coven, desperate for knowledge and power and for someone to lead them." 

"But… not you?" Alex asked. 

"No," Nico murmured. "Not me. I made it through training, though at that time I couldn't tell you how long I'd been there. Time moved… differently. Like in the Dark Dimension. There was no way to track it, except by heartbeats. And that got very old after a while." 

"So that's it?" Gert cut in. "Don't get me wrong, it sounds shitty, must have really sucked, but that's it? You disappeared to Tibetan Hogwarts for three and a half years, come back, tell us how shitty it was and expect everything to go back to how it was before?" 

Nico spread her hands on the table. "No, there's more than that. Something I saw while I was in training. They have ways of Seeing, these master Witches. It's something they did towards the beginning of training, something that made them look harder, invest more in me. I don't fully understand them, but essentially they can see evidence of tamperings with a person's soul or fate. Little marks left behind where something was manipulated or time folded in on itself." 

"The time-travel you mentioned," Karolina spoke up. 

Nico met her eyes, though it pained her to do so. "Yes. At first, before I left, it was nothing but visions, nightmares that would keep me awake. Different from the visions of Morgan, but similar too. The masters, though, they could see everything. This timeline is not the original, and Chase did everything to change it." 

They turned to look at the man in question. 

"What do I have to do with it?" He asked slowly. 

Nico drew a breath and turned to Gert. "You remember when Morgan was banished. You saw him die." 

"I died?!" Chase barked. "I'm sorry, but I'm fairly certain I would remember dying."

"She's right." Gert murmured, gripping his hand. "I watched it happen. Then you… evaporated and somehow came back down the stairs? It all happened so quickly I didn't think I saw it right." 

"Yeah," Molly spoke up. "Most of us were there, or conscious enough to see that."

"That was us, another version of us, resetting the timeline," Nico said. "To bring  _ you  _ back, Gert. He couldn't stand a world where you weren't there. So, he built these watch-type teleporter things to stop you from dying, and to stop  _ you _ , Alex, from murking everyone because someone planted a bomb in your office, which you survived." 

"I could see the old Wilder going bat-shit, absolutely." Chase said. 

Alex rolled his eyes. "To be fair-" 

"Relax, man, I said old Wilder," he returned, clapping Alex's shoulder. "Go on, Nico." 

"Not only did I see how we reset the timeline, I saw pieces of what happened before it. I saw me leaving for Tibet, I saw Chase holed up in the Hostel laying the groundwork for the time-travel, Molly alone with Lace, Alex taking over Wilder Innovations, I saw you, Karolina." 

Karolina swallowed, struggling to maintain eye contact. "How much did you see?" 

"I saw your pain," Nico murmured. "I knew about your messages before I had any way of reaching out to you. I tried, though. Dream magic is complicated, but-" 

"I remember," Karolina said, cutting her off. "And I can't, I can't talk about them, not right now. What else did you see?"

"I couldn't… I didn't see any more than that. I didn't want to. It felt invasive and it… it hurt too much. To see you like that, to know…" Nico drew a shaky breath. "But I saw that I was doing the right thing, too. I saw what your deepest worry was, and you were right. It would have eaten me alive. I had to go away, to learn how to control it, master it. But that meant leaving you, every time, regardless of how we parted.

"There was something else I saw, too." She said, shoving away from the intimacy of those memories. "It didn't make any sense, and the masters pulled me out of it pretty quickly. They didn't bother to explain anything either." 

  
  


"What did you see?" Molly piped. 

"At first, it was dark. Then I felt like I was being lifted up, suspended midair. It was different, though, I saw everything from my own perspective, any other time it was third-person. But as I was lifted, the darkness was replaced by this blue light. Everything was just washed by it, like it was water, but also… not? You all were there, fighting. And… Morgan was there too. I don't know if it means she'll be back, or if she can even come back, but once I recognized her, the masters ended it, pulled me out. They wouldn't tell me what it was, what it meant, but everything in me told me I had to come back to you." She made deliberate eye contact with Karolina, her heart in her throat. She hadn't meant to say it, the whole truth as blunt as it was true, but there it was, hanging in the atmosphere between them. The only thing left to do now was hope.

Karolina bit her lip.  _ Be the bigger person.  _ "Could you give us a moment?" She asked softly, exchanging a look with Chase. 

"Of course," he said. "Let's go." 

One by one, they filed out, and Chase softly closed the door behind them. 

For a long, pregnant moment, it was still and quiet in the space between them. Nico's heart was pounding in her chest; Karolina's hands were clammy. 

"I'm sorry…" Nico murmured into the silence, embarrassed as tears made tracks down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry I had to go. I'm so sorry I couldn't communicate with you. I understand if you've moved on, if you'd rather leave me as a memory. I can't blame you for that." 

Karolina met her eyes evenly. "Those dreams," she began, barely a whisper. "About the mirrors." 

Nico nodded. "That was me, trying." 

Karolina remembered them vividly. She'd had exactly three, and each one started out as random and odd as any other dream. It was only when she found a mirror, tucked away in a cupboard, that she saw Nico. At first, the girl was as surprised as she was, and her fear cut the connection as she jolted awake. The second, Nico was more prepared. When Karolina saw not her reflection, but Nico staring back at her from a wardrobe, a similar shock wavered through her. Nico tried to speak, but Karolina could not hear her. She panicked, appearing to yell so that she might hear, but to no avail. The dream ended in a cold sweat when Nico brought a fist up and shattered the mirror. 

The last, like the others, started normally. This time, when Karolina found the mirror in tree of all places, Nico was crying but didn't try to speak. It felt fruitless, there was no reason to give an attempt. Instead, Nico simply pressed her hand to glass. A halo formed around her hand, warm skin against cool glass. Karolina copied her, their hands a single reflection, seamless and one. It was comforting, offered a sense of reassurance and almost closure. Nico heard the alarm go off, felt Karolina awaken and watched the mirror fall. 

"I had three," Karolina said softly. 

"I tried more than that, but the dream-mirrors kept moving and it was impossible to know if you would be sleeping or not." 

"After that last one," she began, slowly. "Did you try? I remember how it felt, I was dreaming but also awake. I would look for you, for mirrors, but after that last one I didn't feel anything. Like I couldn't look anymore." 

Nico shook her head. "The masters had found out and took any mirrors I had access to. I was trying to figure out how I could speak to you through the barrier, but they found out before I could. Said it was only a distraction from my studies; they didn't realize how much just seeing you did for me, how much harder I worked because of it. Or maybe they did, I'm not sure. But I knew it scared you too, and I'm sorry. I just wanted to tell you I was okay. I just wanted to tell you I-" 

Karolina cut her off. "Show me. Everything you've said, I'd like to see it. If I could."

Nico looked away and swiped at her eyes. "I'll… I'll need some things and a bit of time-"

"Do what you need to," Karolina said, not unkindly as she rose. "Come find me when you're ready." She gathered up the dirty plates from breakfast, grateful for the distraction. She was almost in the kitchen when she stopped and turned back to the Witch, who had not moved from her seat.  _ Be bigger.  _

"Thank you," she said. "For breakfast." 

Nico's mouth quirked up in a small smile. "No worries." 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight welcome to the New Year, old sports, and welcome to Chapter Four! Little longer chapter this time, got a little internal conflict going on, some world-walking spell-weaving happening. Reconcile isn't here yet, but we're making our way downtown and we'll be there soon enough. 
> 
> Next chapter we'll be seeing Nico's memories, and I haven't started writing that yet, but I'm excited about it. 
> 
> I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday season, and I hope y'all enjoy the chapter! 
> 
> Much love,
> 
> RC
> 
> P.S.
> 
> I was reviewing the chapter and my cat nudged me, which in turn made me hit 'post' prematurely. So if y'all see anything messed up, thank Gryffin for it 😂

The morning was bright and cold, the snow blinding in the sunlight. The world appeared cloaked by snow, undisturbed by human hands. Pristine and peaceful, Karolina allowed her spirit to be comforted by the emptiness of the morning. She was nestled into a fluffy bathrobe, a hot cup of coffee in hand, sweetened to perfection with just the right amount of bitterness. It was very chilly out, but she was snug with her robe and coffee and was too deep in her thoughts to care much. She'd escaped to the back deck after her chat with Nico. Part of her still didn't want to believe what she'd heard. Another part wanted to move on with a reconcile of some sort, or finally get enough closure to put the whole thing to bed.

Her mother had asked if she still held a candle for the girl. A candle? She didn't want to leave a light on for her, but she couldn't deny the girl still had some hold on her heart. 

Karolina sighed, watching steam rise from her cup absentmindedly. Lost in thought, it startled her when Chase laid a friendly hand on her shoulder. Had her cup been any fuller, coffee would have sloshed onto her hand. 

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you," Chase said. "You didn't answer when I called. I just wanted to see if you were okay." 

Karolina shrugged and leaned into his side, grateful for his presence. "I'm… here. She's going to show me everything she mentioned, show me it was real." 

"And you're okay with that?" He asked gently. 

"I want to know. I want to see." 

"Understandable." He said. "I wasn't expecting that. The whole 'isolation' thing. I mean, it sounds more believable than her just leaving or refusing to speak to you." 

Karolina nodded. "I feel… conflicted about that. I understand it wasn't her fault, but I was so  _ angry.  _ And hurt. And I don't know if I can just… just shove it aside." 

Chase lifted a shoulder. "Then don't. Redirect it, maybe. Be angry at the monastery, the masters, this way of teaching they have, at Tina for not telling you anything about it." 

"So you're Team Nico now?" She asked with a bark of laughter. 

"Well, I'm not  _ anti _ -Nico either, but I was angry, too. I was scared for you, and I knew she hurt you, however unintentionally it might have been and I'm not ready to fully open back up to her either. It just makes more sense, really. It's not her style, she's confrontational and a volatile powder keg of piss, vinegar, and spite. A convenient drop-off-the-earth escape doesn't sound like her. But I think you'll have more answers after the whole show-and-tell thing."

"Hopefully," the blonde murmured. "Can you get Gert up to speed on all this? I don't think I'll have the energy to. And I don't know what all this evening has in store or if the spell can be interrupted. I'd rather just get it all finished." 

Chuckling, he squeezed her shoulder. "I got it. Mols and Alex too if they're interested." 

Karolina groaned, throwing her head back. "This is just like the Hostel all over again, no one's business can be just theirs." 

"We care about you, Kar." He said softly. "If you'd rather I said nothing-" 

"No, no," she sighed. "Tell them, before I have to give the same speech three times over." 

"Will do. Don't expect Gert to hop on the Nico Train any time soon, though, you know she can carry a grudge. But I will give them the Cliffnotes version: Karolina's getting answers, complicated spellwork, leave them the fuck alone, no it doesn't mean everything is fine, blah blah blah. 

"On a different note, I was wondering if you'd like to get away from the cabin for a bit tonight. There's a shisha bar downtown, about a twenty minute drive. It'll be like freshman year all over again." 

Karolina chuckled, intrigued. "That does sound nice. But not tonight. We'll be having 'show-and-tell' tonight." 

"I feel like that could be a euphemism for something else." 

"God, Chase," she said, laughing despite herself. "I don't think I'll be jumping into bed with her." 

He raised an eyebrow pointedly. "Uh-huh. Keep blushing."

Karolina scoffed but couldn't hide her red cheeks. "I'm quite certain. We have a lot to catch up on after nearly four years apart. There are things I need to know, things I need to tell her…" 

Chase's expression clouded. "Yeah… I suppose you do, huh? Well, that does not sound like a conversation I want to be anywhere near." 

"Yeah, I'm not exactly looking forward to it."

"Well, good luck, in any case. So, we'll rain check for shisha. Later this week, tomorrow maybe, whatever. Until tonight, Gert mentioned hitting the slopes. Wanna come with?"

Karolina brightened. "That sounds great actually. I don't think I'll be able to sit in the house today." 

"Great! I'll go see if anyone else is interested, get ready and call a car in about thirty." 

Chase took his leave, and Karolina sighed again. Steep slopes and blinding speed were incredibly attractive, and she hoped they would put her mind at ease for the time being. Tonight, she'd have more answers. She wasn't entirely sure what she'd do with them just yet, but she was ready for them, and watching the day drift by sounded maddening. 

She took another long draught of her coffee and headed inside. The mountains called her, and she'd take whatever respite was offered. 

  
  
  


The sun had not begun to set when Karolina returned. Wind bitten and exhausted, she entered the cabin with Chase, Gert and Molly, all of whom looked equally haggard. It had been a fantastic distraction, the icy wind and adrenaline coursing through her veins left little room for thoughts of what was in store this evening. 

The four parted to shower and change, sweaty from exertion, but only Karolina would remain in the cabin. By the time she'd finished, the house was quiet and still. 

Karolina had dressed casually, in leggings and a blouse, unsure of what one normally would wear when conducting a seance with their ex. She quietly made her way through the house, looking for Nico. She found her in the sunroom, bathed in golden light. Its floor-to-ceiling windows faced east, west and south, and boasted gorgeous views of the mountains and forest behind the house. 

Nico was there, amidst curling smoke and a circle of white flickering candles, hovering over a prayer rug. Karolina halted in her steps, surprised to see Nico literally levitating and reluctant to intrude. 

"I know you're there," Nico said softly. "You're not interrupting." 

"Sorry," Karolina murmured. She carefully made her way into the space, perfumed by incense and the magic she'd smelled the night before in the snow. 

Quietly, she settled herself on the floor. Another rug, equipped with a cushion, was spread out with care in front of Nico's, a short, small table beside them. An altar, she realized. Incense burned beside a small bowl, and between them a length of soft rope lay. A green candle was left unlit on the altar.

Nico let out a quiet breath, and slowly sank to the floor. Once she was seated, she lifted one hand. The flames around them slowly extinguished, and more smoked joined the curling incense. It was then she opened her eyes and greeted Karolina. 

"Welcome to my altar," Nico murmured. "How was your day?" 

Karolina was taken aback. "My day…? It was… good. Hit the slopes with Chase, Gert and Molly, had a good time with them. I'm sorry, does this have something to do with the whole spell thing?" 

"It does," Nico returned. "Familiarity helps connect us prior to the spell itself, it also gives the ambient magic around me time to recalibrate. But I don't care much for that, I'm genuinely interested. Unless you'd rather jump right into it, that's perfectly fine, too." 

"You really figured it out," Karolina said with a small smile. "I'm proud of you," 

Nico didn't meet her eyes, almost embarrassed. "I did. I had a good teacher. Once I got through all the shitty parts, of course. So you and Chase have gotten close, it seems?" 

Karolina could recognize small talk, and this wasn't it. Nico was serious when she said she was genuine, she could feel it, hear it. "Yeah, we have. We started school together at UCLA. He's in engineering, I'm a psych major. He was there for the bad parts… he helped me through it. I never thought Chase Stein would be my best friend, but he is." 

"Besties with Chase," Nico laughed. The sound made Karolina's heart ache, but she pushed the thought aside. "And he and Gert seem to be doing well. Does she go to school with you?" 

"No, she's in community college at the moment. She wants to get into bioengineering, hoping to make Lace a friend one day, I think." 

"And where is the prehistoric house pet?" 

"I'm not a hundred percent sure… there is a basement here, but they didn't drive and I don't think they'd ship Lace to Canada…" 

"Could you imagine customs?" 

"Ugh. The nightmare! Stacy would try to pass her off as an exotic breed of hairless cocker spaniel." 

Nico laughed again, music in Karolina's ear. It was sweet and sincere and god she wasn't ready but her heart cleaved to the sound, lurching in her chest like it wanted to be closer to Nico. 

"Nico, does any of this feel… odd to you?" Karolina asked, solemn. 

The girl sighed, her smile gone. "Yes. It also feels… I don't know, natural I guess? May I… may I be frank with you?" 

Karolina nodded. 

"It always has. It's always felt easy and right with you, as natural as breathing. Without you, I could live, you know, be independent, but it felt like something was missing. A big piece of myself that likes sunshine and isn't afraid to smile at a stranger was just… dormant. And it comes alive with you, however angry you might be. Which is entirely justified, by the way, please don't think I believe otherwise. It doesn't change that the best parts of me light up when I'm around you."

Karolina met her eyes. Nico appeared sincere and solemn and maybe even nervous. Her hands were folded carefully in her lap, her thumbs rubbed circles around each other in a nervous tick she'd had for years. Everything else in her might be calm and steady, but that tick said everything. 

Nico  _ was  _ nervous. Her heart was beating unevenly in its cage, a nervous sweat beaded on her back. Afraid she'd said too much or too little, afraid she'd lose her nerve somewhere in impossibly blue eyes. 

The blonde cleared her throat. "I…" she hesitated. "I have a lot of thinking to do. I've done a lot of thinking. I was so distraught when you disappeared, I thought you were mad at me, I hadn't been supportive enough, I had said the wrong thing. You were right, the other night. I have been afraid of what I don't know or understand and I was afraid of your magic but never you. I might have been scared for you, I didn't know how to help you, but never  _ never  _ scared of you. And then you were gone and Tina gave me no indication that anything was okay or-" 

"She didn't tell you anything?" 

Karolina shook her head. "No. I begged her for anything and she didn't budge." 

The Witch's expression tightened. "I am so sorry she did that to you…" Nico murmured. "I feel like they're up to something again, but I'm not sure what just yet." She fidgeted again, and drew another breath. "Where is everyone else? In case we should be interrupted." 

"They're at the lodge. The parents wanted to have dinner and Chase is covering for us. They won't be back until I give him the all clear." 

Nico nodded. "Good. Are you ready?" 

Karolina shifted. She could feel the magic lingering around them, tingling the surface of her skin like a soft, affectionate static. It was at once strange and familiar, warm and it charged the atmosphere with anticipation. 

"I am. What do I need to do?" 

Nico held out a long lighter. "Light half of those candles, I'll light the others and then we'll start." 

Karolina did her part, and watched as Nico called flames to her half of the circle. These were new flames with a different purpose than the ones that burned here previously. They knew it, too, for their ambience was one of expectation rather than pensive reflection. Karolina shivered at the notion and wondered if Nico's magic had been so easily perceived in their youth. 

When all the candles were lit, save the green one, Nico settled herself cross-legged. Karolina mirrored her, her stomach coiling with anticipation. 

In a shallow, bronze bowl, Nico set white sage, lavender and myrrh to flame. These burned and writhed together, fragrant smoke perfumed the air as it curled between them. She lit the green candle with a small wave then took the length of rope in her hands and held it out towards the blonde. "This will tether you to me and me to you," she said, her voice soft and solemn. "So we can't lose the other as we journey. The candle will bind us to the earth, so that we can find our way back. There's a place we have to go, before I can show you everything. And getting there is going to be a little tricky, but you have to trust me."

Fear lighted in Karolina's blood, but quickly diminished. Something ancient and dour urged her to trust Nico, deep from the pits of her soul. She offered Nico her right wrist.

"First, I must ask if you trust me to walk with you in worlds between ours, to keep you from harm in these places. Do you trust me?" 

Her voice, thin and reedy, rasped out, "Yes." 

Nico tied the first knot.

"Second, I ask if you trust that I will return you safely to our world of consciousness, where we both live and breathe freely, once our journey has met its end. Do you trust me?" 

Her voice was stronger this time, though still a touch timid. "Yes." 

Nico tied a second knot. 

"Third, I ask if you trust me to bear my soul to you in every way you've asked of me, to show you my trials as they came and were, so that you may know all you wish to know. Do you trust me?" 

"I do." Her voice was firm now, encouraged by the magic swirling between them. She could feel it building, curious and inquisitive. 

Nico tied a third knot, securing the first two. 

"Now, you may tether me to you," Nico murmured, offering her left wrist. 

Karolina balked. She hadn't expected this, hadn't expected to be actively participating in the casting of spells. She cleared her throat and took the other end of the rope. 

"I trust you," Nico murmured. "To stay with me as we journey. I trust you to observe my innermost secrets and to keep them as though they were your own. I trust you with my soul, for it is yours as much as it is mine." 

Karolina tied the knots, her hands shaking slightly. When she finished, she met Nico's eyes. They were calm, and it reassured Karolina. 

As of now, they had not touched one another. Only the rope had slid against their skin, but now Nico raised her hands, her palms open to Karolina. 

"May I touch you?" She asked softly. Until now, her voice had remained steady, but it wavered gently as she spoke. Karolina's heart lurched in her chest. 

"Yes." Karolina murmured, barely lifting her voice. 

Steeling herself, Nico let her hands fall to Karolina's. 

The touch was electric, and neither could tell if it was due to the spell, or because it was the first time they'd touched since the day they'd cleaved to one another, sobbing their goodbyes in the airport. That fact was not lost on either, and the shock wavered through them both. 

Nico's hands were unsteady as long, slender fingers wrapped around her. They held one another, hearts racing, as skin met skin again. Their bodies had missed one another, it seemed. Their hands squeezed unconsciously, desperate, against all better thought, to press and meld. 

Ocean eyes met dark chocolate, burning with intensity and desire and sorrow and bliss and so many other things Karolina did not have names for. 

A deep breath in, and Nico raised Karolina's hands to her face. Karolina was warm and soft against her cheeks, and her heart ached. Swallowing audibly, Nico held Karolina's hands a moment longer than she needed to. 

"May I…?" She asked softly, reaching for Karolina. 

The blonde licked her lips, suddenly dry, and nodded gently, her hands still cupping Nico's face.

Carefully, gingerly, Nico laid her thumbs on Karolina's brow, her fingers plunging into soft, silken locks. The girl shivered, and bit her lip. Her breath caught, her heart beating unevenly. Nico held her as though she were hallowed, holy and pure.

"Together, through the veil," Nico whispered, gently stroking Karolina's perfectly manicured brow.

They closed the other's eyes, and instantly Karolina felt a jolt. It startled her, as if the ground itself fell out from under her. She dropped her hands to clutch at Nico's, she fought to keep her breathing steady, focusing on the only thing she could  _ feel.  _ Nico's hands were warm and slightly callused, but still the only physical thing that seemed to ground her as existence as she knew it fell away. 

Something shifted then. 

The sensation of falling abated somewhat; instead it was replaced by an odd, nearly weightless suspension. Grounded, held, but by what?

_ Relax. _

The word came unbidden by any conscious thought. It also came from a voice she did not recognize as her own, even from the depths of her mind. 

_ Can you hear me?  _

She didn't know how to respond, but somehow could still feel herself squeezing Nico's hands. The feeling was muted, almost like a limb was asleep but in spasm. She was aware of it, but only just.

_ Come on. String words together. I know it's unsettling, but you're doing great. I'm here. I'm with you. You're not alone and you're not lost. You're not without form, you simply haven't taken a new one yet. It'll happen. Just answer. You can do it.  _

It was impossible. Nico's voice reverberated gently in her mind as easy as breath. But how could she answer? She didn't have a mouth, didn't have breath. 

_ We need to eclipse. Open yourself. Your very core. Trust me, embrace me as I do you. You'll feel it. Look for me.  _

Look for her? How? She didn't have eyes anymore. Even her hands felt more distant, less tangible. Maybe… she could look without such things. She turned her attention inwards and was startled to notice warmth. Perhaps Nico would feel similarly. She relaxed, and searched the space around her with an idea of what she was looking for. 

At first, there was nothing. And then, she brushed the edges of her consciousness against something. Something warm and solid and familiar.

_ Yes! That's it, there I am. Now try to hold.  _

Karolina fumbled. This sensation was like nothing else she'd ever experienced, a limb she didn't know she had. Its muscles were weak and unpracticed but it wasn't scary. Reaching out once more, she found Nico. She held onto her and felt warmth spread through her being. 

_ Good job. _ Nico praised her. Her voice was stronger now, and undeniably  _ her  _ as their connection grew _. Now, continue to open. It'll feel like falling, but you have to trust that I'll catch you.  _

She'd shared this experience before, Karolina realized. Nico had been where she was now, blindly trusting whoever lead her. Nico had survived this. She would, too. 

Without quite knowing how, she released herself and fell. It only lasted a moment, but when she collided with Nico, the universe split open. They eclipsed, Karolina now wedged between Nico and Nico's own conscious, deeply embedded within her. Suddenly, she could see again and was enveloped in light. She still wasn't solid yet, the same way one isn't solid while dreaming. 

Atoms arranged themselves, and the world resolved itself as a library. It was light and airy, dust moats floated in shafts of sun, tumbling endlessly through space. Shelves towered high above, packed with tomes and volumes on subjects Karolina could only dream of. A sitting area was tucked against one wall, set with overstuffed armchairs before enormous windows and bathed in sunlight. 

"Pretty, isn't it?" Nico's voice sounded from Karolina's side. It wasn't hushed, and almost seemed disrespectful to the space. Karolina turned to her, relieved to see a body standing before her rather than a disembodied voice. She glanced down, and saw she had a body again, too. It was comforting, and she felt whole again.

"It's… amazing." Karolina whispered back. 

The Witch laughed softly. "You don't have to whisper. It looks like we're alone, in this room at least." 

"Where are we?" She asked, still awestruck as she gazed around. 

"It has many names," she said fondly. "The In-Between. The Well. The Pinnacle. I prefer calling it the Library. Simple, sums it up effectively enough. It is  _ the  _ Library, after all." 

"And how many books are here?"

"All of them." 

Karolina turned to her. "All of them?" 

"Everything that was ever written, even when pen was never put to paper. Every song, every dream is written here. My master was particularly fond of it. He and I spent months here, reading anything we wished." 

"And our-our bodies, they're-"

"Safe. Still tethered to one another and to the Earth. We're bound here, too, it's just harder to see." She lifted her hand and a silvery thread winked in the light. Following the thread from Nico's wrist, Karolina saw it wrapped securely around her own. 

"I'm sorry, this is just… a lot." 

"I get it. Take your time." 

Karolina approached a bookshelf, and gently ran her fingers over the titles. Several were in languages she couldn't recognize, some well-worn but none of them were dusty. Mahogany shelves gleamed with a polished luster, loved and cared for. Any work she could imagine would be found in these shelves, any wayward dream or passing thought. It was overwhelming, and she wasn't sure where to look. 

"Are there records here? Of individual people?" 

"Every person has their own book, if that's what you're asking," Nico replied, coming to stand at her side. "We're here to get my book. To show you everything as it happened. As it was written." 

Karolina shook her head, focusing on the task at hand. She yearned to curl up in one of those sunny armchairs and read about the cosmos where half her bloodline came, or perhaps see if she could find a book she'd started in a coffee shop in her youth. She couldn't remember the title, but she remembered the cover was red. 

"Let's go." She said instead. There were answers waiting here, and she was eager to get them. 

Nico led her away from the large windows and into a long, dark hall. She moved quickly and surely, checking to make sure her companion didn't lose her. 

Karolina felt the odd sensation of being watched from the shadows. Where the room before felt warm and inviting, she now felt as though she were trespassing. Against what, she wasn't sure, but she held no desire to find out. She tucked closer to Nico. 

They slipped down the hallway, around a corner, into an adjacent wing, and down a flight of stairs into another hallway. The Library appeared to be more of a castle, but Karolina didn't have time to ponder it as she tried to keep pace with the Wiccan. Nico wrenched a door open and fell through it abruptly, pulling Karolina with her.

Nico sighed once the door closed behind them, relieved. She caught the look Karolina gave her, and tried to shrug nonchalantly. 

"It's… complicated. The Library isn't  _ owned  _ by anyone, per se, but there are some…  _ things _ that believe they hold a claim. At least to its hallways. We're perfectly safe in the rooms." 

Shaking it off, Karolina stepped away from the door. 

"Let's stay in the rooms, then," Karolina said. 

"Let's do. Come on, my book should be down here." 

This room was much different from the one they'd arrived in and much  _ much _ bigger. It was darker, dimly lit by lanterns and candles and seemed to stretch on forever in all directions. Divided in two, one side appeared to be for those living and the other for the deceased. Both were dusty, as though no one had set foot there in decades. The air was thick and choked, not a window to be seen. Down an aisle on the side dedicated to the living, Nico ran her fingers over dusty covers, leaving streaky fingerprints in her wake. 

These books appeared to have lain undisturbed for decades, centuries even. It smelled different here, too. Not of rot and decay, as some old libraries do. Just  _ old,  _ ancient and stale. 

"Here we go," Nico said, plucking a book. This one wasn't near as dusty as others, still fresh and new compared to other titles. "Sweet. Now, this way, if you will," 

"Why haven't these books been touched?" Karolina asked, following Nico the way they'd came. "Why don't the Witches read their books? Read the endings?" 

"Well, we can't, for one thing. As long as a person is living, their book isn't finished. The present is being written, so the ending is all blank." She said. "Besides, I'd rather be surprised,"

Karolina frowned. "Does Morgan have a book?" 

Nico sighed. "I've looked. There's an empty space where her book should be. My guess is she took it ages ago, to keep her secrets her own. It's not unheard of, but it's difficult to read someone else's book any way you slice it. Unless they're dead already, but even then." 

"Why is that?" 

"Simply put, they're not ours to read. If someone is deceased, the book takes on a more… autobiographical approach, especially if the person in question had any great educational value. If not, they're more candid, thus, more damaging. But like I said, it's hard. The books are rarely cooperative with those who aren't their subjects." 

"And who writes these books?" 

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I have no idea how or who or what, but I like to think they're something like living organisms, recording histories as they grow. It makes no sense, but when you're in another dimension, you play by a new set of rules and that's the only way I can keep my head on straight." 

"Mine feels like it's about to implode…" 

"Yeah, that feeling doesn't ever go away, really," Nico said with a laugh. 

"It's a lot to wrap your head around, for sure…" 

"Would you like some time?" 

Karolina sucked in a breath. "No. I can unpack this later." 

Nico shrugged as she lead the way out of the aisles and on to a raised dias. In the center, a rostrum was set, gleaming white marble. While everything else in this vast room was dusty and worn, the podium itself was polished and pristine, untouched by time. 

Nico placed her book, leather-bound and black, on the marble. She turned the pages, cursing softly when she kept missing her mark, and found what she was looking for. With a wave, she beckoned Karolina to join her. She did, and briefly flicked her eyes over the words staring up at her. 

"Hold the book," Nico said, holding the pages gingerly. "When I told you I'd show you everything, I truly meant  _ show.  _ This will feel a little different than earlier when we left our conscious world, but it won't be so jarring as we're not fully immersing ourselves in the book. We're just connecting to it. The closest thing I can compare it to is a lucid dream with a dash of psychosis. You can communicate with me, as I'll be with you, but not with the me you'll see. Following so far?" 

"Yeah, I think so." Karolina replied, feeling very under prepared for everything that was about to transpire. 

"Karolina, it's okay if you need to wait," Nico said, touching her arm. "We can come back." 

With a small smile, Karolina squeezed her hand gently. "I've waited nearly four years for answers," she said, not unkindly. "I'd like to see them, if you'll still show me." 

Nico returned the gesture, and nodded. Turning back to the book, she spoke a series of incantations, too low and swift for Karolina to hear. A blueish light illuminated them from both above and below, and clouded Karolina's vision as words on paper took texture, color, and depth, swirling together in every corner of consciousness. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aight y'all! I have been very busy and hereby bestow you with quite a large chapter, featuring Nico's time in Tibet and the reconciliation we've been waiting for! So make sure you have some tea, coffee, hot cocoa, beer, wine, something to sip on cause it's a whopper. Over twelve thousand words in this chapter alone. Get on in there and eat it up!
> 
> Thank you for your continued readership and for all the comments left on this little work. It really means the world ❤ 
> 
> Much love,
> 
> RC

At first, there was darkness. She didn't have a body anymore, just a conscious, and could keenly feel Nico's presence with her.Then, with a start, Karolina recognized the airport. 

She watched as Nico held her at the security gate, crying into her neck. Her heart seized, remembering how it felt to hold and be held by her. 

"I have to go, babe," Nico said, swiping angrily at her face. "I'll email you as soon as I touch ground. I love you," 

Karolina watched herself let Nico go, watched as Nico blew a final kiss goodbye over her shoulder, heard the final 'I love you' fall tearfully from her own lips. She'd came to regret this parting, wishing she'd held on tighter or told Nico she loved her just once more. 

The Wiccian made a beeline for the bathroom to put herself back together once she got through security. She felt an odd sensation watching as Nico kept removing makeup, fixing it, only to ruin it again with fresh tears. It felt like embarrassment, though she had no reason to feel embarrassed. 

_It's not the easiest thing to re-live,_ Nico's voice muttered in Karolina's consciousness. _I figured the beginning was the best place to start._

_You were so upset,_ Karolina replied.

Nico said nothing, but the embarrassed feeling intensified. 

They watched as Nico's memory continued, to her waiting at the gate and boarding the plane and finally landing in Tibet. Exhausted, weary and drawn, Nico checked in to a hotel for the night. Before she changed or brushed her teeth, she pulled her cellphone and typed out the last message Karolina would ever receive from her. The morning came quickly enough, and Nico checked out of the hotel. 

A car was waiting outside, and she got in without preamble. They drove for hours into the countryside, the majority of which Nico had spent asleep or nauseous with jetlag. 

When they finally stopped, it was before a grand monastery built into the mountains, hundreds of steps leading up a steep slope to ornate red doors. Wordlessly, Nico took her bags from the car and began the hour-long climb. At the pinnacle, monks greeted her with silent, solemn bows, and led her into the bowels of the mountain. It was dark and cold here, footsteps echoed against the walls. She was taken to a room, dank and musty, with only a toilet, a cot, and a small dresser. 

An older monk, dressed in the dark blue robes of a master, touched her arm before she stepped inside. He looked at her as though she was familiar, he also appeared to hold an old but gentle sorrow. His face was lined with age, the hair of his eyebrows silver, and his eyes were the familiar almond shape she saw in the mirror. He spoke in a language Nico did not recognize, and nodded when she looked at him blankly. He made a sign with his hands, and his words became clear. 

"You are Tina Minoru's child, yes?" He asked. His voice was low and gravelly, but it was not unpleasant to listen to. 

"I am," Nico returned. "But I am afraid there's been a mistake-" 

"No," he said, softly. "No mistake. Tradition and trial wait here. It's not easy, but you can survive it. Your mother did. Surely, she's prepared you?" 

Nico could only stare back, fear plain across her features. "No," she said softly. "No, not-not really." 

The man nodded, and muttered something unintelligible. "Learn. Study. You can make it here." 

He and three others turned to leave, before Nico stopped them. 

"Wait, my things," 

"You have all that you need," the monk replied. "Change into your robes, we'll be waiting and there's not much time." 

Nico was left alone then, and felt very overwhelmed and small. She paced for a moment, berating herself for leaving the Staff in her luggage. There was nothing she could do at the time, and she resolved to make it through the next hour as best as she could. 

In the dresser, she found brown wool robes and white underclothes, which she reluctantly dressed in. Leather shoes waited for her beside the door. 

Anxiety was flooding her bloodstream, but she had to push past it. She was here to learn her craft, to master it. She'd seen what it could do, and was eager to learn. 

Following a dimly lit corridor, she found what appeared to be an auditorium of some sort. It was circular and small, and there were no chairs, but masters were standing along the perimeter of the room talking to one another and new students were quietly seated on the floor, fewer than twenty in number. Nico took a seat near the exit, and waited. 

Presently, the Grand Master entered. The room hushed as she made her way to the center, clothed in red robes. She moved with a fluid, effortless grace, appearing to glide over the floor. Her skin was a rich dark olive, utterly flawless and glowing. Her hair was meticulously kept and elaborately braided, flowing down her back in thick ropes, dotted occasionally with beads of turquoise and chunks gold. When she took her position at the center of the auditorium, she cast her eyes over her assembled students. Eyes as empty and white as death ran over those gathered, and even though she appeared blind, it was very clear she could See. Her expression was neutral, almost unimpressed, as she lifted one perfect brow. 

She was elegant in every possible fashion, but the air of authority she commanded was more than intimidating. It was terrifying. 

Most averted her blank stare, finding the floor more preferable. Nico, however, was intrigued. She met the Grand Master's unnerving gaze, and if she had any doubts of her ability to See they were certainly abated now. It only lasted a moment, but she could swear a hint of a smile lifted the Grand Master's lips. 

"My gathered students," the Grand Master began, her voice reverberating off the walls with ease in a calm, accented contralto. "I welcome you. Here, you will learn the ancient ways of our craft and you will invent your own. Your time here is only as valuable as you make it; it is not my nor your master's responsibility to teach you. We are here to guide you as our craft, in its own way and fashion, will determine how worthy you are if you prove yourself to it. You will be asked to do the impossible. You will be pushed beyond any physical, emotional, mental and spiritual capacity you have ever known. You will manipulate a force you do not know or understand, but your master will be there to guide you, should you survive initiation." 

Several students shifted uncomfortably, their fear was palpable. 

The Grand Master continued. "While you are here, you will provide for yourselves all that you need apart from the clothes on your back and an evening meal. Once initiation is complete, you will be inspected and selected by your masters. They will guide, discipline, correct, and teach the way they see fit, however, any form of sexual assault or abuse is forbidden. I say this, with the deepest and most heavy sincerity, I will take personal interest in any such event." 

Karolina shivered at the memory. The woman was a dangerous force to trifle with, and she couldn't imagine being on the receiving end of her wrath. There was something personal about her proclamation, too, something that suggested a dark and painful history she hoped had been rectified. 

"Go," the Grand Master intoned. "And good luck." 

The students rose, heads bowed, and took their leave. Upon arriving to her room, she was surprised to find it completely empty. She was ushered inside by the man who had escorted her earlier, and offered her a small smile. 

"Sir," Nico said gently. "Is this… is this initiation?" 

"Yes," he said softly, his voice lilting and heavily accented. 

"How-how long?" She asked. 

"The Grand Master decides," he murmured. 

"And what does one do?" 

He mumbled something in a language Nico did not understand. He smiled again, with mirth this time, and said "Discover." 

A gentle shove, and she found herself alone in a dark, empty room. There was no light to be found, no furniture to trip over, but thankfully the toilet had been spared. Silence echoed in her eardrums, punctuated by a rapid heartbeat and shallow breathing. She groped for the door, but could find nothing on any wall to suggest an exit. Or an entrance, for that matter. Panic bubbled up inside her, and make tracks down her cheeks. 

From where Karolina was, she could feel Nico beside her, watching with her, and feel the Nico of the past in an abstract fashion, the way a reader empathizes with a character. Her heartbeat was frenzied, her palms, still gripping the book in the Library, were clammy. 

_Nico… are you okay?_

The other seemed to hesitate. 

_Now, I'm fine. But that was a rough day._

A pain lanced through the blonde's chest as Nico's breathing became ragged and labored. Something was lodged there, something that had to break free. It was a muted pain, but uncomfortable all the same. 

_The Staff?_

_Yes. They had taken everything, but it came back to me._

Karolina could feel as Nico wrenched the Staff out of her, pulling it inch by inch. It came free, and Nico sighed, relieved but still shaking. 

_Won't they be angry?_

_They kept taking it during my isolation, but it returned to me everytime. If you'd like, we can skip ahead a bit. The most interesting things that happen here is meditation and some mediocre conjuring._

Karolina listened carefully. Nico was crying, and it felt like she was cradling the Staff, grateful to have one familiar thing to hold. 

_I can feel you,_ Karolina said. _I feel you holding the Staff. I feel how scared and lonely you were._

_This is a memory. While you're reading it, you'll feel as I did, though a bit muted. Pain, emotion, everything. I am baring my soul, so you feel me. I can't feel you, apart from your presence here._

_How long were you here?_

_I was told three months._

_With no sun, hardly any food, no water, bed, nothing?_

_I had to make those things, conjure them,_ Nico murmured. Her shrug was nearly audible. _They seem like small things now. Easy things. Back then, it was impossible. By being left alone with only my magic, I was able to get familiar with it, learn about, trust it. When they took the Staff, I had to learn how to use magic without it, but I always felt it when it came back. Usually after I slept._

_Show me what you did here, once you learned yourself, if you don't mind._

_Of course._

Pages fluttered gently, and though there was nothing to see, Karolina could feel the world shifting. Now, there was light, pleasant and warm shining down from the ceiling, and Nico was meditating under it. The room now had a small cot, washbasin and lots of plants. It appeared bigger, too, like Nico had to expand the space she was given to accommodate her garden of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and others. Away from the rows of vegetables, Nico kept other plants, too. Flowering and fragrant, daffodils grew joyfully with black-eyed Susans and carnations, irises blossomed in rich indigo, azaleas perfumed the air beside them. But away from those, one plant had a pot all to itself. 

Karolina's heart lifted. 

Thick, heavy, richly pink Chinese asters had always been her favorite. To see them in Nico's memory, so meticulous cared for and loved, made her stomach turn in an achingly pleasant way she hadn't felt in years. 

_I tended them for you,_ Nico murmured. _I knew you liked them, and they reminded me of you. I had hoped to show you one day._

Karolina could feel her face grow warm. _You did a wonderful job._

A door opened, startling Nico from her meditation and Karolina from admiring the garden. The Grand Master entered and Nico slowly rose from the floor. She bowed and greeted the Master. 

"I see you've been busy in your time here," she said as blank, white eyes moved over the space. "I'm impressed. It's always interesting to see what our students can come up with. Botanicals, enlarged space, basic human facilities, but this," she gestured towards the light. "This is something else. True warmth, nourishing and real, living sunlight. How did you conjure this?"

Nico lifted her head, a light blush gracing her cheeks. "I was inspired by someone." 

"What a someone they must be," the Master said, charmed. "You must think of them often." 

"She is the sun." 

"She must be. Come," she said, lifting her hand as she turned. "Let us see what waits for you. Your things will be moved accordingly, after your placement." 

Nico nodded, and retrieved the Staff from under her pillow. 

The Grand Master paused at the door, her back to Nico. "And what do we have there?" 

Nico bowed her head. "My Staff, Grand Master. The Staff of One." 

"The Staff of One." She repeated. "So it returns. Perhaps this time, it will be sated." 

Nico's mouth opened, but the Grand Master was already striding down the hall before she had pulled herself together enough to ask. Another monk was there, waiting for her, someone Nico did not recognize. He gestured for her to follow, and she did. Through the labyrinth of twisting corridors, back to the room she and the other initiates had first met the Grand Master. The auditorium was emptier than it had been before, less than half remained. Her peers appeared drawn and pale, thin and weak. 

True, her body wasn't used to moving as freely or as briskly as the walk to the auditorium, but it hadn't exhausted her. Silently, Nico promised to help them grow food if she got a chance. Vegetables might not be very filling or have many calories to offer, but they certainly helped when their only meal was usually a watery soup and heel of bread. 

Nico shoved her musing aside and took a seat on the floor.

The Grand Master took the center floor and began speaking. This time, however, Nico couldn't understand her. The Master spoke in what sounded like Swahili. Nico began to sweat, until she noticed the masters gathered to the Grand Master's left and right held their hands to their chests, thumbs to index fingers. She found the monk she'd met the first day, the one who'd told her to discover during her isolation. He met her eyes and began to shift his hands. Nico copied him, and the Grand Master's words became clear. 

Other students had begun to panic now, too, those nearest to her started to copy her movements with frenzy. Others had made contact with masters and copied their movements calmly, each different from Nico's, and appeared to hear the Grand Master's speech. Which, admittedly, didn't make much sense. 

_Is she reciting Hamlet?_ Karolina asked. 

_She is. The masters are selecting their prodigies. This is a test, too._

By now, most of the masters had selected their students. Those left unchosen were either looking around, confused, or nearing full-blown panic. Having been isolated for so long, then suddenly brought back out again only to understand less than they did before, Karolina could understand the mania. There were fewer masters than there were initiates, perhaps seven in number, and this did not go unnoticed. 

One by one, the masters lowered their hands. The Grand Master's native language became foriegn and indecipherable once more. She paused, made a broad gesture with her hands, and spoke again. 

"Those selected, go and stand with your new masters."

Nico rose, the Staff safely tucked away in her robes, and joined the old monk. He nodded at her in polite greeting; she bowed her head. 

"Those unselected may find their belongings in the main temple upstairs. I wish you luck on your endeavors, but your journey here ends now. Masters, take your apprentices and familiarize yourselves as you see fit." 

The masters bowed, their students quick to copy them, and filed out of the auditorium. 

For such an old man, Nico's master was quite nimble, making his way through the labyrinth easily. Nico kept pace, uncertain of what waited for her, but pleased she'd made it through selection. As they climbed flights of stairs the air started to feel lighter. The master threw a door open and light blinded Nico. The heavy, dull air at once was replaced by a cool mountain breeze, but the fitful sun was warm as it kissed her cheeks and stung her eyes. She drew deep breaths of sweet, fresh wind, greedy for such a simple, humble thing. 

Her master had not waited for her. He'd continued his brisk pace along stone paths, and Nico had to run to catch up. It felt good to stretch her legs and lungs, to get her heart beating a little faster. She wanted to run along the outer wall of the monastery itself, but instead joined her master in a blooming, rich garden. He settled himself on soft, cool grass, perfumed by the diverse plant life around them. 

Nico knelt before him. Breathing deeply, she centered herself and listened to the wind. She'd been able to conjure true sunshine, inspired by the girl who held her heart, but how she'd missed the wind. She could never get it right, but this gentle breeze had been made sweeter from the wait. 

When she opened her eyes, she found that her master was quietly watching her. He made a sign with his hands, grander than the one he'd made when he selected her but incredibly similar to it, before he settled again.

"Nico Minoru," he said in that rough, gravelly tone of his. "Congratulations on your initiation. Welcome." 

"Thank you, master," Nico returned, bowing her head. 

"I am Master Zhou. You may address me as such, or as _Lăosī_ . If you must, you may also call me _Sensei_ , as your mother insisted." 

Nico's head snapped up. "You taught my mother?" 

"I tried," he replied. "She believed she had nothing to learn from an old man. Perhaps why the Staff did not choose her."

"I don't understand, _Lăosī_ . How would the Staff choose someone? How does and _object_ choose a person?" 

"The Staff is more than an object or artefact or tool. It lives, though in a different manner than most things. It requires a bond."

"I've been afraid of it," Nico admitted quietly, drawing the Staff from the folds of her robes.

"All the more reason to believe I am correct. When your mother received it, she brought it to me to examine, one of the few times she sought my opinion or knowledge. It performed as any magical artefact would in the hands of a Witch, but not its whole potential as I suspect it could in your hands. Or, perhaps, it has already. Fear should never guide you, Nico. Fear should teach you, of course, but never guide. May I ask why you fear the power so many covet?" 

"I am afraid of the darkness," Nico said, feeling as though she could trust her master fully. "I am afraid of losing myself to it." 

"Are you afraid, or is another?" 

Karolina could feel guilt nipping at her, but let it wash over her. 

Nico averted her eyes. "You are very perceptive, Master." 

"I've seen your fear of the unknown or uncertain," Master Zhou explained. "Yours is an inquisitive, albeit hesitant, curiosity. This other's you speak of is different." 

"She was, is, afraid of what it could turn me into. What the darkness could do to me." 

"She might be right to fear," the master said. "Though, perhaps her fear is misplaced. Does she fear the darkness that the Staff manifests or does she fear its power?"

"The dark," Nico said with certainty. "It did things to me, killed people-" 

"May I?" He asked suddenly, reaching for the Staff. Nico didn't want it to hurt him, as it had Alex when he touched it. Master Zhou simply watched her, waiting. 

Haltingly, Nico handed him the Staff. He did not flinch or recoil away from it, as it did not respond to his touch. It sat in his grasp as innocent as anything. He turned it over in his hands, studying it.

"Death is as natural as light and dark. A person killing to protect themselves whilst in combat is not a dark act is it? The Staff protected its wielder, Nico, which in turn protected others, I'm sure. 

"As for the darkness, dark is not inherently bad, just as light is not inherently good. They exist within and at the ends of one another and the balance of these things is imperative to mastery of them. There is great power in true light or true darkness, but the in-between is where whole serenity rests. The Staff desires a master, Nico. Should you not master it, it could very well consume you the way your heart feared. Master it, however, balance it, and your prowess will be unmatched." 

"What if I don't do anything with it? What if its power is never used?" 

"What you do with your power is your own wish. Spend years behind these walls to do nothing if you like, but the Staff must be mastered by you. It came from your body, yes? Several times, in fact. You're quickly running out of time as the Staff appears insistent. But why bother wasting here if you plan to do nothing with what you learn?" 

Nico hesitated. "I've seen what power can do," she said. "I've seen it consume people. I don't want to fall victim to it, too."

Master Zhou measured her. "Master yourself, then, if you're so afraid of succumbing to power. A word from an old man, who has seen too much: it would have happened already if that were the case. Master the Staff while you can, before it grows impatient and consumes you anyway. You wish to control your power, control the Staff? Mastery is the only way. Before you master the Staff, you yourself must be mastered. I can guide you, if you let me." 

"Forgive me for being… cautious." Nico said, her tone shifting. "But how do you know so much about something I've had for years and never understood?" 

"As you said," Master Zhou replied, returning the Staff. "I am very _perceptive_ of things." 

"Do you See?" 

"No, not in the conventional ways of Seeing. It's more of an empathetic form of perception. I can connect with people, objects even, and feel their histories, things they keep buried, things that are not authentic to them. This girl," he began, his voice musing. "Your sun. You care for her deeply, yes?" 

Nico's heart lifted. "I love her. More than anything." 

Karolina's chest seized. She remembered keenly how Nico's voice and lips would cling to those words, caress them, whisper them into the dark of night. It was at once painful and soothing to hear again. 

"This is more for her than it is for you, yes?" 

Nico seemed conflicted. "It's for me," she said. "And for her. I need to know and understand the forces I can manipulate. She needs to know I'll be doing it safely." 

"Does she See?" 

Nico shook her head. "No. A friend of ours did. Something similar to Seeing." 

"You will have to show me, Nico. The empathy only shows so much, and I can see that it's… complex." 

The girl cracked a smile. "That's a word for it." 

Master Zhou nodded once. "I am interested to know more. For tonight, you are relieved and free to do as you wish. Training begins tomorrow at dawn in the lower temple. You'll find your things have been moved to a room on the East wing. The door will have a placard with your name. Dinner will be served in the dining hall at half past six, sharp. Get to know your surroundings, Nico." 

Nico rose and bowed to her master. "Blessed evening, Master Zhou." 

"Leave with peace." 

Nico had no idea where the East wing was, or the West for that matter, but having her belongings back meant she could contact Karolina and the prospect made her heart flutter. Doing her absolute best to keep from running through the monastery, she briskly walked up a short flight of stairs. A deep feeling told her she would not return underground for the remainder of her time here. The thought thrilled her and she quickened her pace.

As she explored the monastery, she found the lower temple where her real training would begin, pleased to note its walls were open and unobstructed to the wind and sky. She also found a small dining hall, already fragrant with promises of a whole and hearty dinner rather than the soup and bread she'd gotten so accustomed to. A large library tempted her interest, but she hurried past. The West wing was completely barred from entry, bolts and locks and even runes and sigils held the doors tightly shut. Finally, she found the East wing, and with it her room. Well, _rooms._

Though the space was modestly furnished, it boasted a glorious view of misty mountain peaks and vast forests and, she was sure, breathtaking sunrises. 

A true bed, still small but better than the cot Nico had conjured, was tucked against one wall, a trunk at the foot and a dresser opposite of it. A low desk and a small but elaborately patterned prayer rug completed her furnishings, situated close to the window. 

Karolina recognized the rug at once. It was the same one Nico knelt on at the cabin, now two dimensions away.

Nico's garden had been brought up, too, dominating the floor, and she wondered if she could plant the vegetables on the monastery grounds instead. Judging by the scents of the dining hall, she wouldn't be going hungry any longer. A door to her left led to a small, but true bathroom complete with a tub and sink and her toiletry bag sitting on the counter. Oddly, the tub did not have any pipes or knobs, nor were there any electric lights to be found, but she resolved to ponder this later. 

Rushing to the dresser, Nico pulled a drawer open. Inside were the black robes of novices, which she was eager to change into. Curiously, she opened another drawer. This one had the same white underclothes she was used to. Frowning, she opened the others. Her belongings, the ones she'd brought here, were nowhere to be found. She looked in the trunk. Under the bed. Behind her door. 

Nothing. 

The excitement she'd felt earlier sank. Her heart dropped, disappointed. She tried to shake it off, and resolved to ask Master Zhou about it at dinner. 

"I'll talk to her soon," she said aloud, trying to convince herself. 

It was then she realized she didn't actually know how long she'd been in isolation, how long it had been since Karolina had heard from her. Her heart quickened, and it did not feel half as good as it had in the courtyard earlier. She began to pace, her head racing. 

"She's okay," she muttered, trying vainly to talk herself away from panic. "She has to be okay. Would I be okay? If she just dropped off the face of the world?" She hesitated. "No. But she knows I'm in training, she knows I wouldn't just _not_ talk to her. She knows. She's okay. In any case, I'm sure Master Zhou will help me. Or help me get my things back. It's okay. We're okay. I'm okay. This'll all be over soon, and it'll be okay." 

Karolina could feel how anxious she was, how heartbroken and dismayed. 

Nico drew a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Her hands were shaking slightly, so she busied them with tending to her plants and clearing her floor. She arranged them against a wall, vegetables and decorative plants crowded together. 

Only the pink Chinese aster remained alone, and Nico placed it at the corner of her desk where sunlight was plentiful. She gently stroked a petal, then checked the soil for moisture. Weaving her hands in slow, delicate circles, she summoned water. It came to her easily, coalescing at her fingertips and made its way to the roots of the aster. Pleased, Nico thanked the water silently and released it. 

In the bathroom, she summoned water again, and filled the tub. Then she called sunlight, bright and burning, to heat it. Once it had warmed, she tried something new. Nico separated the light, condensed it, and set it to burn in small lantern-like fixtures around her room. It worked flawlessly, and with her rooms safely lighted, she undressed and sank into the water. 

Soap and her other toiletries had thankfully been returned but thinking ahead, Nico broke her soap bar into quarters and enlarged the pieces to keep a healthy supply. Shampoo and conditioner could only be enlarged, but she'd make do for now. 

For the moment she tried to relax, though it was incredibly hard to do. She was thankful to have a hot bath, but her thoughts were troubled. Unable to shake them, Nico turned her attention to her hair and body, giving both a very thorough scrubbing. 

Once she was finished, she changed into the black novice robes. The sun was slipping and painted her room in soft golden light, and soon a bell somewhere on the grounds tolled six o'clock. She took a moment to center herself and tie her hair up neatly before heading to the dining hall. 

Dinner appeared to be a solemn affair. Other novices had arrived in the hall, but they didn't seem keen on conversation, unsure how to conduct themselves. Some Nico did not recognize as initiates from her class, perhaps they were students who had been studying here prior to her arrival. She decided to follow the example they set, and discovered she was right. 

They were to serve themselves food, and appeared to be on some kind of rotation for cooking and cleaning up meals. She watched carefully as the older novices made plates or bowls, but was quick to notice how they did not sit down with them. Instead, they took them to their masters at the long head table before forming a line again, this time to feed themselves. 

Nico knew precious little of her master, and certainly did not know his dietary habits. She grabbed two plates, and filled each with conservative amounts foods, vegetables on one plate and meats on the other. Bowing to Master Zhou, she presented his dinner, and was met with a small, pleased nod. Spying a decanter, she refilled his water before bowing again and left him to his meal. 

_You had to serve him?_ Karolina asked, surprised at the implication as Nico returned to feed and seat herself. 

_It was more of a traditional type of thing. They gave us knowledge, we performed acts of service. It was annoying, but traditional. Master Zhou didn't care for it much, but in more public settings it boded well. Something about solidifying the student/teacher dynamic._

Karolina frowned as she watched Nico assemble her first whole and decent meal in three months.

Nico, however, had kept her eyes carefully trained on the older novices. They ate quickly, and did not speak to one another or any of the new arrivals. A few had books to read, but even they seemed half-interested as they kept sneaking glances of their masters. Their plates, bowls, cups and utensils were neatly arranged and stacked, every piece clean enough to temp a lazy wash. 

The Wiccan mirrored them, wishing she hadn't filled her plate as liberally as she did, but finished the whole thing and stacked her tableware accordingly. Presently, an older novice stood and silently made his way to his master. He bowed wordlessly to her, added her things to his, bowed again, and left to return them to the kitchens. 

Sneaking a glance at Master Zhou, Nico relaxed. It seemed the old man enjoyed his meal time, chatting quietly with the master to his left as he slowly ate. He hadn't cleared his plate entirely when he caught her looking. He lifted a hand and she rose at once, ready to take his things. 

"Thank you," he said kindly as she stacked the wares. She paid attention to the foods he'd neglected and those he cleared. Evidently, he was very fond of vegetables but had been tempted by the succulent pork she'd given him. 

Uncertain, and having no guide to follow, she murmured back, "Is there anything else you need, _Lăosī?"_

Another master a few seats down, nearly choked. He slammed a hand down on the long table, startling her and shaking the water pitchers. When he spoke, his words fell as Chinese, and Nico quickly threw the sign she'd seen Master Zhou cast in the gardens. 

"-you can speak at this table? Black robes, insolent children, bearing no thought for order and tradition! Zhou, the shame! Have you taught her nothing?" 

Nico straightened her back and lifted her chin, native pride and fecklessness rearing in her blood. Before she could speak, her master beat her to it. 

"Xi, calm yourself. I speak to and for my apprentice. Your place is three seats down, I suggest you take it." Master Zhou said firmly. Nico relaxed again, and turned back to her master. "No, Nico, thank you. But," he dropped his voice. "Do meet me in the gardens," 

Nico nodded, gave Xi a cold look, and returned the tableware. 

Outside, the air had cooled considerably and was very pleasant to walk through. Nico found her master in the same garden they'd enjoyed earlier, but this time he was not sitting. He cast the now-familiar hand sign as she approached and their language barrier lifted.

"Come," he said joyfully upon her arrival. "I enjoy a nice walk after dinner. Lovely time of evening and I suppose you have some questions for me, too."

"I do, Master," Nico said, walking with him through the gardens. "I had wondered if I could plant my vegetables on the grounds. I won't be needing them anymore, and I assume the monastery could always use a few extra plants." 

"Splendid idea," he returned. "If you'd like, your bestowal to the monastery could be tending those gardens instead of rotating cooking and dishwashing. Everyone must contribute somehow." 

Nico hesitated. "I'd like to lend a hand where it's needed, Master. I don't mind cooking or cleaning." 

Master Zhou glanced at her. "Very kind of you, Nico. Tomorrow after lessons, you may begin planting. We'll be passing the greenhouses up this path, the vegetable gardens are behind them and there are tools inside. Not that you need them of course." 

"Thank you, Master. Another, more pressing concern of mine," she started, building her nerve. "Is the girl we spoke of earlier." 

"Your heart, yes. What of her?" 

The use of the word ‘heart’ was not lost on Karolina. A warmth spread through her at the confirmation, and she was grateful Nico couldn’t feel it, too. 

"I… Master, I need to speak to her." 

He paused in his steps briefly before he resumed. "I cannot allow that, Nico. I cannot provide that luxury. You are here to learn away from distractions. She knows this, I'm sure?" 

"She knows I'm at school. She, _we,_ didn't know we wouldn't be allowed to talk." 

Master Zhou frowned. "Your mother paid you a disservice, Nico. No, I cannot allow it. There are ways to contact her, and you'll have to find them on your own, but I do not recommend doing so. And once the Grand Master knows, you'll be punished and your methods taken." 

Nico's heart sank. "There's nothing you can do, Master? She means everything to me, she must be worried sick." 

Master Zhou drew a deep breath. "I have a mind to write your mother and berate her for your ill preparedness. Of course, she'll likely ignore it if I do so. I will, however, write. What she does with it is her own will. And what you do is your own will as well. I pray you understand the implications of such things." 

"I do, Master. Thank you." 

“I understand your disappointment, Nico, but you must understand our ways here. Do as you will, but be prepared for anything.”

Nico nodded, let down but undeterred. 

“May I go to the library?”

Master Zhou coughed a laugh. “Already planning on disrupting the peace?”

“No,” Nico returned, her eyes trained on the path ahead of her. “I’d like to get familiar with it, too. I believe I’ll be spending quite a bit of time there.” That reminded her of something she’d meant to ask earlier as she turned to look at him. “How long will I study here?”

He met her eyes evenly, solemn and perhaps a touch sad. “As long as it takes.”

It hadn’t been the answer she was expecting. Then again, she wasn’t sure what to expect. But the reality of it hit her cold and hard all the same. 

Karolina felt it as it washed through her, uncertain, disconcerted, heartbroken. Nico truly hadn’t known how long she’d be gone. She had been just as informed as Karolina. She had been just as crestfallen.

Her master gave her a moment to compose herself. “The library doors are always open. You may leave me if you wish.”

Nico, not trusting herself to speak, nodded. She bowed silently, and took her leave. 

In the library, not half as grand as the Library with its sunny armchairs and lurking creatures, Nico set to getting to know its shelves. A very large portion of books kept there were in beyond Nico’s language comprehension, and it was far too early to begin manipulating the monastery's property. She wasn’t ready for that risk. The things she’d conjured were _hers_ whereas these were most emphatically not. The thought of damaging them scared her, but given some time she was sure she’d be able to translate texts easily as speech. 

A few books were in English, and, limiting herself, she signed for two. She poured over them in her room, and now that she was more familiar with her craft, found that the books gave her insight she hadn’t considered before. 

_If you don’t mind, I’d like to skip ahead a bit. It took me a while to attempt any dream magic, but I can show them to you, if you like._

_You said you were punished for them. How bad was it?_

Nico took her time in answering. _It could have been worse._

She did not seem keen to elaborate, and Karolina did not want to know more. 

_You mentioned them Seeing something where we were all together again. Show me that._

_That was a long day._ Nico mused. _And more than just that happened. This was about a year into my training, bear in mind._

_A year? That was around when I had the dreams._

Pages fluttered again, and this time when the world came back, Karolina saw they were in the auditorium again. 

Underground and dark, Nico had no desire to return there, but the Grand Master was waiting for her upon arrival. Master Zhou was there, too, watching the Grand Master. 

“Minoru,” she greeted her. “Welcome. I do hope you’ve recovered from your ordeal. Again, you surprise me with your abilities, but unfortunately I cannot allow such communication. It doesn’t bode well. You understand, I’m sure.”

Nico bowed as lowly as she could. Her back and legs were stiff and tired, sore and bruised. She looked as though she’d been beaten senseless, even one eye was badly blackened. 

_Nico…_ Karolina said, shocked. _What did they do to you?_

Nico said nothing in return.

“Yes, Grand Master.”

“Excellent. Then there should be no further calamities. Now, I must tell you I’ve been looking forward to this day. Come, Minoru, sit.”

Nico obeyed and settled herself with difficulty before the intimidating woman. 

“Master Zhou, if you will,” 

The monk took his place in front of Nico, kneeling on the same cushion. He offered her his hands, which she haltingly took. 

“Wonderful. Now, relax, the hard part is mine to do.” The Grand Master laid gentle hands on their heads, white eyes unblinking above them. 

Again, the world went dark. Then, it started swirling with bright, brilliant colors. Timelines, Nico realized. Hers and others, countless others, nameless strangers she’d passed on the street and those whose lines collided with hers in colors rivalling supernovas. Every brush of her life and another’s stretched out before her, every passing, every intimate moment. Blinks of time hung suspended, and one particular event caught the Grand Master’s attention. 

“What’s this?” she murmured. There, a timeline appeared folded. The Grand Master was intrigued, and took a closer look. “Someone has manipulated your sequence, child. In the most wondrous fashion.”

There it was. It flashed before her eyes as a bolt of lightning would, the moment she left Karolina without a word, packed her things and fled to Tibet to pursue the very same thing she currently was. 

“I left her?” Nico asked tearfully, unaware the thought had been given voice. “Why would I ever just leave her?”

“She was afraid, child.” the Master answered as an image of the monster of Karolina’s worst fear surfaced. “You thought you had to leave her in order to keep her safe. But, things seem different now. That Nico was a different one.”

Chase flashed by then, and a girl who seemed to be living with Karolina. A pursuit for a murderous Alex, deep tension between herself and the blonde she loved more than anything in the world. The Hostel, and a future self imploring the past one to not make the same mistakes. Then the final fight against Morgan, the reason Chase had done all the work he did, as his future self took the fall to save the girl he loved. She saw herself holding Karolina on the balcony, heard Karolina beg her to find her again, no matter what. 

Nico’s heart ached. She knew Karolina thought she had passed, knew those dreaming visits that had cost her one hell of a beating likely haunted her. She’d tried so hard to speak to her, but the mirror just wasn’t thin enough. She’d tried so hard to tell her she was okay, to tell her she loved her, only to further cement the thought that she was dead. A lingering ghost, haunting dreams and reopening wounds was all she’d been and all she'd accomplished. 

“There’s more, child, watch,” the Master said, drawing Nico’s attention again. 

It was as if the timeline was being ironed out, where it had been folded backward was now stretched and smooth. The line she knew and lived was flashing now. 

She heard Karolina’s broken words of love as they parted at the airport, the clenching need to hold her just a _moment_ longer. It was familiar, because she'd lived it, but the significance of it was lost on her.

“What does it mean?”

“It means you listened to your own advice. You didn’t leave this time, not entirely. But that’s not what I’m interested in.”

Her vision changed, now. This line did not flow from the others, instead it was disconnected, as if it hadn't happened. Where before it had been stark and clear, it was now clouded and fuzzy. And dark. And very hard to breathe. 

Voices could be heard, shouting and a very distinct Molly-like roaring, but ultimately the sounds were muffled. Then, the ground itself shook. Nico felt herself being lifted up through whatever weighed down on her, and finally broke the surface. 

Her friends were gathered with her, bloodied and sweaty and tired, but there and fighting all the same. Fighting what, she wasn’t sure yet, but she felt pride swell in her at the sight. As she continued to rise, she saw Karolina, lit up in colors more brilliant than the Aurora and certainly more splendid, her hands outstretched and her power shielding the others as what appeared to be curses and hexes were thrown at them. 

It was then Karolina saw her, still rising up. Her power faltered a bit, but then rushed back tenfold, a wavering, palpable force, impenetrable and angry. It surged up to meet her, and joined with her very essence and core, melding with every molecule and cell. 

It was then a blue light fell, cascading over the affair. It was soft and silent, beautiful in its majesty and prowess. The light was dark, as if day and night had collided but did not war with the other. 

A woman cried out in anger, and Nico, now suspended high above them, finally saw who it was the Runaways fought. Morgan was not alone, it seemed, and as her face came into focus Nico was violently ripped away. 

Thankfully, she was already on the floor when she fell. Her head was spinning, suddenly devoid of all color and motion and it made her nauseous. She panted on the floor as Master Zhou collected himself as well, no less affected than she was. 

“What the hell was that?” Nico panted, so shaken she couldn’t manage to conjure water for herself. 

“That was… an option.” The Grand Master said, completely unbothered by the whole incident. She appeared to be lost in thought, unconcerned with either Nico or Master Zhou. “Something that could happen, and perhaps should.”

“But we defeated Morgan,” Nico protested, forgetting herself in her strife. “She couldn’t-”

“Morgan was banished, by the combined efforts of you, your heart, your mother and your friends. But those who are banished may also be summoned, and it appears Morgan made quite a name for herself during her time in this dimension. It is entirely possible and probable that her coven would seek to restore her.”

Nico pushed herself upright, looking at the Grand Master. "Is there something you can do, Grand Master?" 

Master Zhou was standing now, and seemed to be regarding the Grand Master very carefully. 

"No." She said at last. "We are teachers here, Minoru. What one does with magic is their own will. It always has been. We have no authority to tell another what they can or cannot do with it." 

Nico balked. "Morgan is bad news. If she's really back and you have the power-" 

"It is not my place, Novice." the Grand Master said curtly. "Nor is it the place of any master under me." 

"Grand Master," Nico protested, rising. "But surely-" 

"If her existence so offends you, do something about it. But we will lift no hand." she said firmly. “Master Zhou, take your apprentice and see that she gets practice in. You are dismissed.”

Bowing, Master Zhou encouraged a quick exit. 

“Lower temple in a half hour,” he muttered to her upon reaching the gardens. “Do not bring the Staff.” 

“Yes, Master,” Nico returned, and made her was to her rooms as quickly as she could. One leg was still terribly stiff, the knee easy to upset, but she needed to lie down and allow herself some time to catch up. 

_You look awful,_ Karolina murmured, not unkindly. _What did they do to hurt you like that?_

Even without seeing her, without her speaking a word, Karolina could feel the other shy away from the question. 

_I’d rather not discuss it._ She said at last. _It’s not the most pleasant thing to remember. But it could have been worse._

Karolina wanted to comfort her, wanted to apologize for her curiosity, but instead said nothing for a moment. 

_Is Morgan back?_ she asked after several long moments of silence. 

_I don’t know. I looked for her in the dark dimension after my graduation, but there was no trace. If she is back, she’s keeping a low profile._

Karolina hummed softly in understanding, expecting no less. 

_How long were you there?_

_Dark dimension? About four months earthside. There, it was closer to three weeks. Nothing, bar the same insanity you've seen._

_We’ll have to make sure the others know. They won’t be happy, but we’ll need each other if we are to fight again._

_I’m not sure how willing they’ll be,_ Nico admitted. _Molly seems to be the only one happy I’m back. I don’t blame them, of course. I doubt I would be very happy if I were them. But I don’t think they would be willing to fight with me._

_They might surprise you,_ Karolina insisted. _Chase isn’t entirely ready to welcome you back again, but he’s not against the idea. And if that’s where he stands, and if that’s where Molly is, Gert will come around soon enough. Alex will, well, be Alex, I suppose. He might be broody and huffy, but I don’t think it’ll last long, or at all._

Karolina could feel the tension, could feel Nico burning to ask her a question, the answer for which she’d been carefully formulating. 

It came softly, a gentle whisper in her conscious. _Where do you stand, Karolina?_

As much as it pained her to hear Nico’s voice hug her name, it thrilled her, too. She wanted to hear it again, the way Nico’s tongue caressed the syllables, spoke them as though they were benedictions. 

_I’ll be there, Nico._ She murmured back. _I’ll always be there. It might be complicated now, but that doesn’t change anything._

Relief flooded her, and she smiled at the notion. Things were complicated, but they were reconciling. And she wanted to reconcile. She still had so much to think about, so much to catch up on, but the girl she’d loved hadn’t left her. Not this time. She’d found her, and she seemed to still love her. And Karolina was ready to fight for that. 

In the memory, Nico had risen, less shaky than before. She made her way down to the lower temple, where Master Zhou was waiting. 

“The Staff?”

“In my trunk,” she answered. 

“Good. We’re going to try something new today. You are capable of magic without the Staff, you know this, but I want to push you today. It will be cruel. It will be hard. But I have faith in you.”

Master Zhou raised his arms, and the walls of the lower temple moved to form a closed room. It was instantly dark, and Nico braced herself. 

“There was a moment I saw,” Master Zhou said. “That I wanted to revisit, play with. A moment where you were weak, a moment where if you were not afraid of yourself or the Staff you could have changed something.”

Nico quickly centered herself, and began reaching out with all her being to find the threads of magic she’d come to know so well. They were there, and she grasped them incessantly. 

Suddenly, she was standing in the Hostel. It was eerily still and quiet, and Nico found that memory was deserting her. Tibet didn't exist anymore. Master Zhou was a stranger she'd never seen. Karolina was a girl she'd never leave. She had a task, of that she was certain. Fight and defeat Morgan. Anything and everything else was none of her concern. 

Dimly, absently, she wondered if there should have been others here to fight with her, but the thought didn't stay with her long. Something grabbed her arm, and when she turned, Karolina wrapped her in strong, solid arms, sagging with relief. Nico was crushed against her chest and she hugged her back with equal enthusiasm. 

"Nico, we've got to go, we've got to run-"

"Why? The fun is only starting." Morgan faced them, nefarious and deadly at the top of the stairs. 

Karolina shoved Nico behind her, shielding her with her own body. It was only then she realized the blonde had been crying. 

"Where are the others?" Nico asked, trying to maneuver around her. 

"They're dead!" Morgan answered gaily, sweeping down the stairs towards them. "Their bodies strewn about in pieces because you didn't make the right choice. Give me the Staff, Nico, and your precious heart will be spared. Delay me, and she will be put to death too." 

Anger bubbled up inside her chest as Nico slipped in front of Karolina. But she didn't have the Staff. And she didn't know where it was. 

"The Staff, Nico. If you please." Morgan insisted, outstretching a hand. 

"I don't… I don't have it." 

Morgan seemed nonplussed. "Then summon it, Nico. It was reborn from your own body, surely you can do something as simple as summon it. Or do you need more incentive?" She lifted a hand and a strong gust of Dark magic reared easily. 

It wasn't anything taxing for her to drive her power between them, sending both sprawling to the floor. Karolina was quick to regain her footing, however, and approached menacingly with her hands glowing. 

"You think that's enough?" Morgan asked, sparing her hands an unimpressed glance. "Please." She brought a hand up and cast at Karolina again, this time blocked by a shield of light. Morgan smiled at that, and pressed harder against it. 

Karolina went to her knees under the force, panting as she tried to hold it up. Nico struggled to rise from the floor, her hands uselessly empty without the Staff. How could she summon it? She felt as though she'd done it before, but couldn't remember when or how. 

Light faded and Karolina hit the floor, exhausted under Morgan's assault. She was desperate to conjure up some light but to no avail as Morgan’s power held her down. Blood trickled from a gash on her forehead, matting in her hair. 

Nico could feel anger and magic building inside her, but felt so helpless to do anything.

Morgan, still holding Karolina down, turned to face her. A smile lifted the corners of her mouth. 

"You want to save her, do you? Surrender. Fight, and she dies." 

"You won't." Nico growled, her voice low and drawling. "If she dies, there's nothing left to stop me. She's your only leverage. You still want the Staff? Let her go." 

“Though the Staff would be nice to have, I don’t need it as long as I control you!” Morgan seethed, opening a palm to release smoke and swirling Dark magic. Nico brought her hands up, shielding herself from the blast as magic surged through her. It passed over and around her, but she felt the cloying restriction of Morgan’s grasp. It squeezed her chest, crushing her lungs. Her own magic yearned to break free, but she didn’t have the Staff. 

“Give in. Submit. It will make this all so much easier on all of us. Or should I hurt her? Would that help loosen your conviction?” Morgan moved then, placing one booted foot on Karolina’s chest. Nico heard her breathing become labored, heard her bones crack under the force. 

Nico felt as though she were splitting in two. Her own magic called to her, seductive and dark, yes, but for the first time it felt different. It wasn't just dark and mysterious, a siren's call to lose herself to the unknown. It was familiar. 

She knew this magic, or rather, this magic knew her. It welled up inside her as a scream would, building in her chest with a ferocity that burned away any fear she might have held. And it was angry. She panted under the sheer power of it, electric and deadly, but for the first time, she recognized it as _hers._ It wasn't some alien force that happened to carry her will, but hers as it existed within her, around her, intimately and intricately intertwined with her very being.

“Nico!” Karolina called, breathless and afraid. “Please!”

Nico's chest seized at the sound, and a deep piece of her soul cried out. The Staff materialized in front of her, shining and bright, without solid form. 

And Nico tore herself apart. 

From the deepest reaches of her soul she came undone, screaming. The Staff went into her chest and settled there, burning and light. She embraced it fully, allowed it to fill every chasm of her being with everything she’d feared. Locking Morgan in her stare, she raised her hands, ready to maim and kill. 

And it then it was over. 

She wasn’t in the Hostel any more. Karolina was only a memory. Morgan was only a battle. 

A gentle breeze floated through the open walls of the lower temple, oblivious and innocent. Nico fell to her knees, her whole body shaking as the Staff still burned inside her. Tears poured down her face, her chest ached, her whole spirit was bruised and sore. Memory crashed back with jarring clarity, and Nico began to hyperventilate.

Master Zhou knelt beside her, offering a cold drink of water. She couldn’t take it yet, her body still rocking with tremors and now exhaustion and nausea. Everything around her was now stark and clear, shining and bright with a light she hadn't been able to perceive before. The air itself was alive, threads of magic now reaching for her from every direction. It was overwhelming.

“To your rooms, then,” she heard her master say. “Dinner will be brought to you. You’ve done well, and I’m terribly sorry.”

She couldn’t respond, and the world went black again. 

_Take me out._ Karolina said, unable to witness anymore. _Please._

Nico said nothing. 

There was a gentle sinking sensation, and the soft closing of a book. The Library returned to her, and Nico was there. Even in this altered dimension, Karolina was shaking, and Nico saw the need at once. 

“Can you make it back to the room we came to first? It’s okay if you can’t.”

“No,” Karolina said, feeling light-headed and shocked. “I need to go back.”

“All right, I understand, we’re going back right now,” Nico assured her, laying soft hands on her arms. “Just breathe, all right? Like we did before, together through the veil, the eclipse, and then we’re home. You’ve done an amazing job. We’re almost home.”

Karolina nodded, breathing deeply. “Let’s go, I’m ready.”

Nico stroked up Karolina’s arms to her cheeks and held them gently. She mirrored her and cupped the girl’s face, more than ready to eclipse with her again. Their eyes closed, and they met again that weightless suspension. It was easy to find Nico this time, and Karolina eclipsed with her readily. 

Then, they were back at the altar, holding hands as they knelt in candlelight. Karolina couldn't tell how much time had passed, but was vaguely aware that the mountains had darkened in the distance, heralding sunset and dusk.

Nico began to untie the knots binding herself to the other, speaking softly. 

“We have journeyed far this night, but we have returned whole and safe. I have upheld my vows to you, as you have upheld yours to me. I free you now with no malice held, no grudge to bear, no task unfinished. You are free of me, and I of you, free to journey our own path wherever it might lead.”

The last knot came free, and the rope fell between them. 

Nico measured Karolina carefully, unsure of how to begin or what to say. 

“Are you okay? Would you like some water?”

“Please,” Karolina rasped out, shaking. “If you could.” 

“Of course.” she raised a hand, and the flames around them dimmed and died. Gathering the candles to one side, she dismantled the circle before rising to fetch water. She returned quickly, and Karolina drank deeply. 

“That was… Intense.”

“In a word, yes,” Nico murmured. “How do you feel?”

“Oddly light-headed. Like I’m not all the way back. It’s odd, not being able to feel you anymore.”

Nico cracked a smile. 

“You did that,” she whispered. “You went through all of that having no one. Did you at least make any friends while you were there? Did you ever speak to anyone?”

“No,” Nico shrugged. “Never. We were there for one thing. We all wanted to be out as soon as we could.”

“And...the Staff?”

Drawing a breath, Nico steeled herself. “I am the Staff. I was meant to be.”

Karolina had expected as much, but it still shook her. “And that’s… okay?”

A cough of laughter surprised her. “Better than okay. It sucked, obviously, at first. The things I learned to do… there aren’t words. Magic existed within and around me, but the Staff acted as a conduit for it. Enhanced it, focused it. Once I mastered it, accepted it, _became_ it, I became the conduit. I can feel magic much more keenly, I can control it so easily. That is due largely to what I learned with Master Zhou, but to _feel_ it, Karolina. It’s everywhere. I reach out, and it’s there. It’s not scary anymore,” she opened her hand. As she did, a small spark lighted in her palm, dancing merrily. “It’s part of me. And I mastered it.”

Karolina watched closely as the spark fizzled and died. “What about the darkness there? That connection with Morgan?”

“The connection was forged by her own hand. It was entirely one-sided, and after I renounced her, didn’t hold any weight. The darkness, though… Master Zhou was right. Balance is key. I saw what true power could bring, true dark. I don’t want it, though. That kind of power is immense and huge, but true mastery lies with balance.”

“You found it?”

Nico smiled sadly. “I always had it. What Tandy said, about your light and my dark balancing out the other, I think she was right, but I also think it was important for me to find on my own, too. Light and dark aren’t meant to war.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t have faith in you before. I’m sorry I was so afraid.” Karolina said softly.

“I was afraid, too.” Nico returned with a lop-sided grin. “What else could we have been? We had no idea what we were doing, or how to do it. I think we reacted appropriately.” She shifted, leaning back against the sofa, and ran a critical eye over her companion. “How are you feeling?”

Karolina sighed. The tremors had stopped, but her hands were still unsteady as she sipped at her water. “I’m exhausted.” She admitted. 

“It takes a lot out of you being, what, three, four dimensions deep? You did great though. I had a much rougher time. Don’t feel like you need to clean up, if you’d like to go lie down. I can take care of it all, no trouble.”

The blonde considered that. She did want to lie down, but she wanted something else, too. 

“Nico?”

The girl turned to her, apprehensive and maybe, just maybe hopeful. Unsure of herself, Karolina moved forward and wrapped her in her arms. It felt so good to hold her again, to breathe her into her lungs without the anger she’d felt earlier. It was still there, of course, but Tina was in for one hell of a confrontation when she saw her next. For the moment, Karolina was content to hold and be held by Nico, who returned the embrace after a moment of surprised hesitation. She didn’t realize she’d started crying until she noticed Nico’s hair was sticking to her face. She was embarrassed but relieved, too. Her own cheek was wet from Nico’s tears, and the thought made her heart ache. 

“I missed you,” Nico said brokenly as she held her tighter, feeling truly able to speak freely for the first time since reuniting with her heart. “I missed you so much. I am so sorry, for everything, for leaving, for not knowing, for the dreams, dear god the dreams-”

“I missed you,” Karolina returned. “We didn’t know, Nico, we couldn’t have. And yes, those dreams scared the shit out of me, but it makes sense now. I’m sorry you went through all those terrible things. I’m sorry you had to. But look at what you can do, look at everything you’ve done, you’re amazing, and you’re back, and… thank you for taking me to the Library. Thank you for showing me what you went through. You found me,” she gave a watery chuckle. “I, or another me at least, asked you to find me and you did.”

“I always will,” Nico said, her voice thick and soft as she buried her face in blonde hair. “Always.” 

Karolina was the first to pull away, and did so begrudgingly. “I am so sorry, but I have to blow my nose, do you need a tissue?”

“Please, god,” Nico returned, a hint of snark in her tone. “Of all the ways I thought tonight would go, I did not imagine we’d be reduced to a couple of snivelling snot-monsters, but here we are.”

“Would you have it any other way?” Karolina called, snagging a few tissues from the bathroom down the hall. 

“No,” Nico replied, taking the offered tissue upon her return. “No, I’ll take the snot-monster version over any others.”

Her tears finally dry, Karolina drank Nico in. All puffy-eyed and red-cheeked, Nico captured her attention just as easily as she had all those years ago when stolen glances and timid touches were overanalyzed and often recalled. There was something endearing about Nico after she’d cried. Something raw and sore and vulnerable not many got the chance to see. It was a rare occasion for Nico to go without her armor, to readily lay it down and break as she had, and the notion was not lost on Karolina. 

Nico began putting her candles away, now that the wax had hardened again. Karolina assisted her, and when all her things were put away again, the two sat together on the sofa, much left unsaid but both uncertain if they should let it rest or plow their way through it. 

“You’re tired,” Nico commented softly. “Go on and rest.”

“I’d rather stay here,” the blonde murmured, running a hand through her hair. "Besides, there's more for us to discuss. Things you should know, things I need to tell you," she bit her cheek and continued before she lost her nerve. "After… after the dreams, I had a hard time. I tried to move on, I tried… others."

Nico sucked in a breath and let it wash over her. "I had expected as much. I was gone a long time, you'd thought I had passed away. It's natural to want someone." Her tone was gentle but it had hurt all the same. It was plain to see as it flickered across her features before she could school her expression. Nico smiled, her eyes soft. "I hope they treated you well." 

Karolina frowned. She hadn't expected this response and wasn't sure if it made it any easier. "It was a dark time," she murmured. "I would look for you in other women, look for pieces of you. At first, I looked for anything to feel the way you made me feel, then looked to feel… anything. And then I met Julie, the girl you saw living with me, and she was… different. Her sadness seemed to mirror mine, and we stuck for a while. But I kept looking for you in things she did, clothes she wore, music she listened to. It wasn't fair to her… or me. I wasn't ready for a relationship yet, and my behavior leading up to that had been destructive at best. She was kind, but she wasn't you… and I wasn't ready to be over you." 

Nico listened with rapt attention. "I'm glad she was kind… but I can't apologize enough. And Tina was obviously no help… How long after I left? If you don't mind me asking." 

"I think it was about about two years. Chase would know for sure. But Julie and I only lasted about four months. She was great, but… not you." 

Nico was quiet for a moment, allowing the information to seep into her. 

"And now…?" Nico asked softly. 

"Now?" Karolina returned, tilting her head to one side as she studied her hands. "Now, the girl I love has returned from the dead and shown me her trials. Now, the girl I love is sitting beside me, vindicated. She's different than the girl I remember, but I want to get to know her again. If she'll let me." 

Nico was quiet then. Karolina was worried she had said too much, and fidgeted nervously. Finally, Nico met her eyes. 

"I want to know you, Karolina. I want to know what I've missed. Can we, _could_ we start over?" 

The blonde's heart skipped in her chest. "No," she returned softly, without breath. "No, we can't start over, but we can pick up where we left off." 

Nico smiled. "I'd like that." 

It was clear Nico wasn't going to make the move Karolina had hoped for, but that was okay. She had already decided to make it for her if she faltered, show her it was okay. Show her that _she_ was okay.

Just as she had before, the night they had been painted golden and ethereal before the world was sure to end, Karolina let her hand fall to Nico's cheek. It was still the perfect fit, still soft and warm if not a little swollen from crying earlier. Carefully, as though she didn't want to frighten her, ocean eyes met chocolate and flicked between them, asking. 

Nico's breathing quickened as she glanced to full, parted lips, then back up to heartbreakingly blue eyes. She subtly nodded just once. 

Karolina smiled as she closed the last few inches between them. Her lips brushed Nico's, and a shaking hand came to rest on her collar. It was sweet and soft, burning with possibility as lips and mouths met equal parts. Time apart had meant nothing to their bodies, for they remembered one another well. 

It was soft and sweet and chaste. Karolina pulled away, her heart pounding in her chest and blood roaring in her ears. Nico's eyes fluttered open and her hand gently caressed Karolina's cheek. Her eyes were bright, cheerful, as they searched the other's. 

Karolina shivered slightly, and laughed at herself. "Thank you for everything tonight, Nico. It means the world to me." 

"Thank you for coming with me. Now, go rest. You must be exhausted." 

"I am, but I would rather stay here." _I'd rather stay with you._ "And I've forgotten how many stars you can see in this room. I'd like to see them." Then, feeling just a bit daring as threw caution to the wind, she asked, "Lay with me?”

This was unexpected, and it set Nico’s heart to racing again. They’d lain together before, cuddled before, but that was _then._ But Nico couldn’t deny that she wanted to. Selfishly, she nodded, her heart pounding, and Karolina stretched across the sofa. Timidly, as if she were still afraid to touch her, Nico joined her, and slowly settled against Karolina’s chest. The blonde grabbed at a blanket behind her, and spread it across them both before settling more firmly against Nico. 

“Is this okay?” she asked softly. “I understand if you’d like your space-”

“I’ve wanted to be here for three and a half years, Karolina,” Nico interrupted. “I know we have so much more to discuss and so much more to understand, but I’m just happy to finally be here.”

The sky had begun to darken, and the mountains beyond the large windows were painted in a gorgeous blue light. Their peaks appeared as pale purple, and darkened as the sun was lost to the horizon, rich blue color stealing over the land. 

“I took a photography class freshman year,” Karolina murmured. “This hour is fantastic for taking pictures.”

“Why is that?” Nico whispered back.

“It’s a phase of twilight when the sun is so far below the horizon that the light’s blue wavelengths dominate. It’s the very last stretch of day meeting the first reaches of dusk. Or the last stretch of night meeting the first reaches of dawn, if you see it in the morning.”

“The ends and beginnings of the other,” Nico said, charmed. “What is it called?”

Karolina smiled as she brought her lips close to Nico’s ear. “The blue hour.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I did the thing were you get the title in the story. I couldn't resist ❤


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, well my loves, I do apologize for my quite unexpected hiatus. As I mentioned earlier, adulthood tends to get in the way of more important things. However, do not be dismayed! I am quite unfinished with our little story which I must admit is getting to be more monstrous than I originally anticipated. I wish I could say this is the first time this has happened to me, but alas, my small ideas normally snowball into avalanches anyway. But they always make for killer rides, so I hope you've all turned in those waivers I mentioned earlier cause my goodness we dig deep into one of my favorite emotions. Nostalgia. That sweet-burn in the pit of your chest, so palpable it makes your hair stand on end and your stomach do weird flip-floppy things. At least I hope I invoke some of those feelings in you all. I certainly called on some personal experience here, I swear some of the best times I've shared with dear friends involved driving aimlessly and singing our favorite songs. Something about loud, familiar music, good company and empty roads just do something to your soul.
> 
> Now, before we get into it, I would like to humbly invite you to read my other Runaways fics in the event I drop off the face of the earth again (which at this point I'm anticipating due to the demands of my job). Just so y'all have something to keep you warm in my absence. Be warned, I only have two others, but they are FLUFFY (TM). So proceed with caution. Their titles are "Of First Kisses and Last Chances" and "Run Away With Me." If you choose to check them out, I hope you like them!
> 
> And that's it, y'all get into it, hope you enjoy drop me a line and lemme know what you think! 
> 
> Love y'all  
> RC

Karolina sighed as the blue hour ended, magnificent royal blue quickly replaced by deep navy and finally the pitch black of night. Stars sparkled above, every constellation bright and shining. They seemed happy. Exuberant, even. She couldn't help but wonder if they were written up there, the two of them, destined to wrap and hold and cherish one another as they had once before. As an increasingly loud and raucous part of her dearly wanted to again. 

It was hard to convince herself that she had done what she did, that her spirit had trodden where it had. That she lay where she was. But Nico was solid against her chest. She was warm. Her fingers were gently trailing along her forearm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. 

Nico shivered, but not from chill. She tucked herself impossibly closer to Karolina all the same. It was slightly odd to be the little spoon, as she'd usually been the big spoon before, but it was nice to be held. It was nice to feel breath falling against her cheek. Of all the ways for the day to end, lounging in Karolina's arms was not what she expected. Affection was not what she expected. 

"I'd hate to ruin this," Karolina said suddenly. "But I should probably text Chase and tell him it's okay to come back." 

Nico understood, but her heart sank all the same. "Probably. How has everyone been since I've been gone? Any progress made with repairing relationships?" 

Karolina shrugged and made no move to reach for her phone. "It was a struggle at first. Mom and I have been mostly okay, Dad's really been trying, although they divorced a few months after you went to Tibet. Dale and Stacy seem to have won over Molly and Gert, and Victor has been… surprisingly, consistently, pleasant." 

"I'm sorry about your parents… What about Janet?" 

"She's happy. As happy as any sentient computer program can be, I suppose. Chase made an app so they can chat whenever they want. It's been hard for him, but now they're working on some kind of 'cloud' to upload consciousness to. Victor wants to be with her in the end, you know." 

Nico smiled. "That's sweet. I never thought Victor would be kind, but I'm glad things worked out the way they did… Is your dad here? I didn't see him the other night." 

"He should be here tomorrow. Not exactly  _ welcome  _ with the other parents, but he doesn't get to see me very much anymore and wanted to." 

Nico nodded, satisfied. 

"What about you? I know you haven't had much time, but how have you been since graduation?" 

"Well, I lost a lot of time in the Dark Place, you know. When I left it, I went home, gave Tina hell for everything in Tibet. She seemed to… understand? It was like she had went through the same thing, almost, like she had been just as clueless. I'm not sure why she felt as though I had to go through it the same way. But she seemed… better, I guess. It caught me off guard, I wasn't sure what to make of it. I was just happy to be home. 

"Then, she told me about you," she sighed, feeling as though a big weight had been settled on her chest. "She told me you were gone, that you moved on. That she couldn't tell you, the monastery wouldn't let her, but I know that's a lie because Master Zhou expected you to know. So I didn't know what to do. I wanted to find you, I wanted to hear from you what happened, how it happened, but I didn't know how to waltz back into your life. I didn't know if I should." She scoffed at herself. "Then there was this trip to Canada. I didn't know about the reunion until I saw everyone. Thought some time away from so many memories would help, but she lied again." 

Karolina heard her voice shift, it was subtle but undeniable. 

"I thought it would be different, after everything we've done. I thought I had to prove something to her, and though it might never have seemed like it, I've  _ always  _ wanted her approval. And I've never had it. I really thought, after banishing Morgan, something would have changed. Yet, she's still cold and indifferent. Lying and manipulative." 

Karolina wasn't sure how to respond, so she hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry, Nico. Not that I'm trying to defend her, but could she still be healing after your dad?" 

A shrug lifted her shoulders. "Maybe. But that's not an excuse. I just think she's up to something again," 

"She could be," Karolina offered. "You know, my mom was defensive of you. She encouraged me to hear you out, to not let my anger get the best of me. While I'm glad I did, it does seem odd that she would be so in favor of it when all she knew was that I was hurt. Do you think she could be involved?" 

Nico frowned. "Maybe. Have they spent any time together?" 

"I'm not aware, no." 

"Hm. She could, but I hope not. Especially when the two of you are doing so well." Nico drew a breath and sat up, surprising her companion. "You wanna get out of here? Get something to eat, a drink maybe? I don't really want to sit here thinking of transgressions tonight." 

Karolina sat up as well, intrigued. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'd love to." 

Nico called a car from the lodge while Karolina gave Chase the all-clear. A black SUV arrived, better suited for any hidden ice, and the two climbed into the back.

"Where to, miss?" 

"Just down to the lodge, please." Nico returned. Karolina shot her a look, which was returned with a sly smile. The girl wouldn't answer any questions about her choice of destination. The blonde, a rare and curious rebellion swelling inside her, relished in it and tucked herself closer. 

The week before, she'd never believe she would be snuggled up with Nico ever again. She'd thought she would never see her again, and if she did, the anger and betrayal she felt would consume her completely. Yet, now, after seeing her trials and tribulations, she couldn't help but yearn to be near her, close to her, as if to make up for the time lost. Her heart was thrilled by the warmth against her side emanating from Nico, eager to press closer, but her mind was still conflicted. She didn't know if she could press closer, if she should, or if they needed more time. Her heart may desire it, but until they entirely understood one another, it would have to wait. They had agreed to know one another again. Perhaps there was more to be discovered.

They arrived at the lodge and their driver let them out without ceremony. A few steps inside, and Nico grabbed Karolina's hand behind her, and raced down a nearby hallway before they could lay eyes on a ballroom or dining hall, her bag thumping against her side as she did. Karolina followed eagerly, slightly nervous as she felt like a teenager again, tasting rebellion and courage for the first time, sneaking around with a pretty girl. 

Nico paused at an emergency exit and raised a hand to her lips. The blonde nodded as she watched. A delicate twist of her fingers, and Karolina could almost  _ see  _ the magic at work. Threads of it bent to Nico's will without question, and the light indicating an armed alarm went dark. As it did, Nico pushed the door open and pulled Karolina out. Despite knowing the extent of Nico's prowess, she still fully expected the alarm to blare. It didn't, and she let a high, breathless laugh escape her. They stood in a parking lot again, filled with the lodge's unmarked cars. 

"What are we doing?" Karolina asked. 

"We're going to dinner. You still wanted to, right?" 

"Yes… but I'm no closer to understanding than I was a second ago." 

Nico shrugged nonchalantly. "I wanted to drive." 

"We're  _ stealing  _ a car??"

" _ Borrowing _ it," Nico said, exasperated. "They do allow patrons to rent cars, I just don't have the time to do paperwork. Same difference, right? Come on, let's go." 

Karolina was lost, unsure what to say or how to proceed. A part of her was taken aback, uncertain if this Nico was one she wanted to know. Another part of her swooned at Nico's "bad-girl" attitude, enticed by her devil-may-care style. After years of Gibborim purity and obedience, rebellion still easily tempted her. She felt like she was seventeen again as she followed Nico to a sleek black sedan and watched as her hand moved to call magic forward. The doors unlocked and the engine started, and Nico courteously opened her door. Karolina smiled as she slid inside, a nervous thrill bubbling in her chest. 

Nico took her seat and adjusted it slightly, plugged her phone into the USB and fiddled with what looked like Spotify. Her playlist interrupted the radio, and they were off, gliding towards town. 

"Nico, how will we get back?" Karolina asked as they passed through the exit. "They'll know this car belongs to them. Getting out is easy but sneaking back in? What if they rent it out? Or see us leaving it?" 

"Let me worry about that," Nico replied coolly, unbothered as she steered with her left hand, her right resting on her thigh. She was completely relaxed, leaned back as though she'd done this for years. The asphalt appeared clear of ice and well-salted, the car unerring as the lodge shrank behind them. Her confidence and ease reassured the blonde, who tried her best to relax and not think about any repercussions that might come their way.

The blonde, fidgeting with the hem of her blouse, laughed softly when a familiar song began playing. 

"You still listen to  _ Panic! At The Disco _ ?" Karolina asked, charmed. 

Nico shot her a glance. "Of course! I missed a few releases, but I've caught up. They're timeless and will certainly be one of the classics of our generation.”

“Absolutely!” Karolina heartily agreed. “Top three, go.”

“Albums or songs?”

“Albums first, then songs.”

Nico drummed her fingers against the steering wheel. “Hm. In no particular order,  _ A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out  _ certainly belongs there, the original  _ Panic! _ . Next, it would have to be…  _ Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die.  _ And finally, while  _ Vices and Virtues  _ was fantastic,  _ Pray for the Wicked  _ was just immaculate. Every track was amazing.”

“I can respect that,” Karolina returned. “I have to agree with you,  _ Pray for the Wicked  _ was an instant favorite.  _ Pretty. Odd.  _ deserves recognition, of course, I’ve always loved it. And third…  _ Death of a Bachelor _ . It was a poppy, party mix, it was the only thing I listened to for weeks.”

“All right, fair. Top three songs?”

“In no particular order?”

“Of course not, it’s hard enough to narrow it down to three!”

The blonde laughed, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Very true. First, I’ll have  _ Nine in the Afternoon.  _ Second,  _ L.A. Devotee.  _ Third, it’s almost impossible to choose just one—”

“Uh-huh, just one!” Nico admonished. “I know it’s hard, but we must persevere!”

“Aw, come on!” Karolina protested.

“Nope, you can do it. Let’s have it, final pick.”

“Fine…  _ Hey Look, Ma, I Made It _ .”

“Solid choice, solid—”

“…and  _ High Hopes _ !”

“Karolina!” Nico groaned in mock protest. She was smiling, though, the apples of her cheeks red and happy.

“I couldn’t help it, I’m sorry!”

“Okay, my turn,” Nico said, forgiving her for the moment. “First, largely because I’m a sucker for a cello,  _ Build God, Then We’ll Talk.  _ Second…  _ Girls / Girls / Boys,  _ completely iconic. Third… I have to give it to  _ Say Amen.  _ I think he did great with it.”

Karolina smiled. “I guess you can have a freebie. Make it fair, you know.”

Nico didn’t hesitate. “Too easy.  _ This Is Gospel. _ ”

“Really? I wouldn’t expect that one to make your top three. Or four, rather.”

“Ever hear it on piano?”

“I have not,” Karolina admitted. “I bet it’s good though.”

“Of course it’s good,” Nico laughed. “It’s goddamn magic.”

“I’ll have to look it up some time,” Karolina said, making a mental note to do so. She arched one eyebrow and adopted an accent, feeling playful. “Shall we listen to our favorites, then?”

Nico smiled widely and handed her phone over. “But of course, it’s only appropriate.”

The blonde navigated Spotify easily, built their queue, and allowed the playlist to shuffle through their chosen tracks.  _ Say Amen  _ was the first to play, and Nico turned the volume up to blast through the speakers. They sang together, taking turns to share the melody and laughing like children as they soared through octaves. Karolina could hit higher notes with more finesse than Nico could ever dream of, but the Witch had her beat when it came to matching the lower tenor timbre and the quicker staccato parts of  _ Build God, Then We’ll Talk  _ as it played next.

They made a pretty sound, Karolina thought, listening as their singing bounced off the windshield back at them. Their voices complimented each other well, Nico’s graceful alto and Karolina’s effortless soprano. It felt easy. Natural. Fun.

More than anything, it felt familiar. They had sang together like this before. Before Amy died, they would ride in the backseat and dance together on the occasion the older girl drove them to school. At sleepovers, whether it was all the girls together or just to the two of them belting 2000’s hits into hairbrushes. In the Hostel, in moments of peaceful solitude broken only by the other, when they could find time for music and forget their troubles for just a moment or two.

It was reveling. As she listened to Nico’s voice effortlessly keeping pace, Karolina was reminded of the playful girl who tried so hard to keep up with Christina Aguilera or Shakira or even Whitney, attacking notes she knew damn well were near the ends of her range. That confidence and liveliness was mirrored here, now with the vocal maturity to hit and hold those notes with none of the feeble, airy quality it once had before.

Musing, Karolina interrupted the playlist. Nico glanced at the change and her jaw dropped in protest.

“Kar, no, please.”

“Oh, come on. You almost got  _ Wannabe  _ instead, be grateful I went with  _ Jessie’s Girl. _ ”

“Karolina, I haven’t sang this in ages—”

“Okay,” Karolina amended, and changed tracks again, having anticipated the protest. “No backing out of this one. Classic karaoke.”

Nico waited a moment, and the all-too familiar piano chords started flowing from the speakers. “Journey? Really?”

“We used to kill this one!” Karolina laughed. “You already used your pass, come on. You take the high part.”

“Kar—”

But the blonde had already started singing, Nico’s right hand clasped in both of Karolina’s as a makeshift microphone. Laughing, Nico joined her, holding on to that feeling with Journey and the girl by her side. 

Nico hadn’t realized how much she’d missed this. How effortless and easy fun could be when the prettiest girl in the world was singing into your hand what could very well be one of the most over-used karaoke songs in human history. She couldn’t say she didn’t love every second, though. Karolina’s enthusiasm was just as contagious as it ever was, and Nico didn’t feel the slightest bit nervous or self-conscious as she reached for notes she hadn’t tried for in years. It was exciting, uplifting even, as their voices found harmony together, striking notes with ease and certainty.

It was after Journey ended that Karolina noticed they had parked. A restaurant was brightly lit in front of them, but she had no desire to go inside. Nico seemed to sense it, but didn’t give voice to any curiosity. For a moment, she simply existed with Karolina, content to sit with her and just  _ feel. _

Finally, Karolina spoke up. “Would you like to go inside?”

Nico gave her a grin. “No. And I don’t think you’re terribly interested in it, either.”

Karolina smiled and met her eyes. “No, I’d rather not.”

Without saying a word, Nico backed out of the space and Karolina went back to Spotify, deejay-ing their little car concert. They drove for miles, circling aimlessly around town and into the wintery countryside before doubling back again with no destination in mind. They had nowhere to be and nothing to do, nothing demanding their attention, nothing more important than nailing that next crescendo. 

It was the most fun Nico had had in years, and it amazed her that it could be as simple as driving around deserted roads singing forgotten songs as loud as she could.

And they sang everything. Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Bon Jovi, Brittany Spears, Gwen Stefani, Beyoncé, Queen (much to Nico's delight), even a few boy-band tracks at Karolina's urging. Nico even humored the blonde with a clumsy duet cover of  _ Fergalicious.  _ It was effortless and easy, heartwarming and fun. 

As they both became hoarse, Nico reluctantly set the course for the lodge. The land was very dark now, no hint of moon or starlight to see by as clouds had rolled in sometime during their journey and hung overhead. Karolina was a little sad that their impromptu outing was coming to an end, but she’d had a good time. 

Familiar and warm, it felt nice to just  _ be  _ with Nico, to exist in the same space. That was until she remembered she’d partaken in stealing a car from the lodge and was now returning it with less than an eighth tank of gas. Nervously, she watched as Nico pulled up to the parking lot and stopped, completely relaxed and unbothered. Following her lead once more, Karolina exited and tried to keep her wits about her as she made her way, completely non-conspicuously of course, across the lot.

The car horn honked twice, and Karolina nearly jumped out of her skin.

To her horror, Nico was guffawing, immensely pleased that she’d witnessed her leap into the air with fright. It took a moment for her to notice Nico’s hands were still safely stowed away in her coat pockets, and that she had not called magic to sound the horn. Confused, she sputtered unintelligibly.

Smirking, Nico drew a key fob from her pocket. Karolina did not fail to notice it was equipped with an auto-start feature.

“What… you… it’s  _ yours?” _

“It’s Tina’s rental,” Nico explained, still laughing and entirely too pleased with herself.

Karolina, shocked and speechless, could only swat at her. The other nimbly avoided the swipe, but knocked their shoulders together gently, still smiling.

“We stole your mom’s rental car.” The blonde reiterated, bewildered, finally finding her voice again.

“We  _ borrowed  _ my mom’s rental car.” Nico corrected. “I had to use it earlier to get a few things for the spell tonight. Never had the chance to give the keys back. But I think it’s safe to say I got you pretty good.”

Karolina rubbed the heel of her hand into her eye, relieved but starting to giggle now, too. “You did. I’ll have to get you back.”

“I look forward to it,” Nico quipped, a crooked smile and a raised eyebrow brought a flirtatious air to her words. Karolina was helplessly drawn to it, grinning back. 

Nico arranged another car to take them back to their cabin, and noted the overhanging dark mass of clouds. 

"I wonder where it came from," she commented absently. "It was completely clear when we left." 

"I didn't think it was supposed to storm tonight. I hadn't heard, at least. Maybe it'll blow over?" 

"Maybe." Nico murmured, though something about her demeanor suggested she didn't really think so. 

Their car, another SUV, arrived and shuttled them back to the cabin. It wasn't terribly late, but Karolina was remarkably tired after the events of the day, stretching her legs as she exited the car. Lights were on in the house, and suddenly she was nervous. It felt like she was coming home after sneaking out to a party, like she shouldn't just walk through the front door. It was juvenile, she knew, but it didn't stop her stomach from churning.

Uncertain, Karolina shifted her weight. Nico joined her on the porch, an eyebrow arched in silent question. 

"Thank you for everything. I'm not sure what will happen when we walk through those doors, but I enjoyed my time with you. It was unsettling, traveling through other dimensions, but it was very insightful. And driving around with you… I had forgotten what it was like. I… I missed it."  _ I had forgotten how easy it is to exist with you. I've missed you, and I've missed who I am when I'm with you. I've missed us and how we are together. How we collide like atoms and explode like supernovae. I still don't know how you could ever hold darkness because you light up my world, but if it's the sun you lack, I will give you my shine if you'll have it.  _

Those words, as true as they were, sat in her throat without voice. She was nervous, looking at the other with trepidation and uncertainty, wondering if she should give those words a chance to rattle the air between them.

Nico didn't give her the opportunity. "Maybe we can do it again sometime," she suggested, one eyebrow lifted playfully. "It was the most fun I've had in years." 

Karolina smiled at that, touched. "I'd love to." She wanted to kiss her then, as if she'd never known her lips, like a nervous, giddy end to a first date. She wasn't sure if it would be welcomed, though. Having made the first move earlier, Karolina felt the ball was in Nico's court and resolved to let her do as she would. 

But Nico did not reach for her. Instead, she nodded, a smile playing at her lips, and opened the door. She allowed Karolina to enter first, and shut out the cold behind them. 

The foyer was empty, though sounds could be heard coming from the living room. Chase and Alex, no doubt, engrossed in a game most like. Molly's voice was there, too, egging them on to whatever feat they pursued. 

"Would you like to join them?" Karolina asked. She wasn't ready to part just yet, even though they would share the cabin for the next few weeks she still found herself yearning to be close to the girl. 

"I would love to, but I don't want to ruin their fun. I doubt they're ready for me just yet."

"True. They'll warm up soon enough." 

"What about you? Plan on staying up?" 

"Nah," Karolina said, shrugging. "I've just had one hell of a journey, it's past time for me to knock out." 

Nico laughed at that. "You did, certainly deserving of a long sleep. But, ah, tomorrow," she paused, gathering her courage. "Would you-- I would," she cleared her throat, cursing herself. "I would love to see you tomorrow. If you'd like to see me, that is." 

Karolina balked. Nico was nervous. That much was abundantly clear. Perhaps that was why she hadn't made a move, she was still uncertain of her own welcome. For all her confident bravado, she still stumbled over her words, struggled to get them out when they mattered. 

So Karolina smiled, and reached out to tentatively stroke her hand with gentle fingertips. "Of course, Nico. I'll see you in the morning." 

One foot on the stairs leading up to her bedroom, and Nico's fingers wrapped around her wrist. 

"Wait," she said, joining her on the step. From this height, Nico was _ just  _ tall enough to stretch up on her toes and claim Karolina's lips. It was quick, chaste and sweet, and left Karolina breathless. "Goodnight, Karolina." 

And with that, she was gone, striding off towards the kitchen. 

Karolina was shell-shocked, standing alone on the stairs. Nico had made her move. Granted, it had been shorter, quicker, than Karolina's had been, but all the same. The duration of it did not cheapen its value. If anything its brevity enriched it, her heart just now becoming concerned enough to quicken in her chest.

Smiling, she lifted a hand to run fingertips over her lips. Then, feeling positively elated, she hurried upstairs and collapsed onto her bed, keen to remember every single passing moment she'd just lived that evening. 

She'd left the only plane of existence she had ever known, the only one she knew of. She had journeyed through places largely untouched by human feet, places inhabited by unseen creatures that guarded halls and doors. She had seen suffering in raw form, as it came and passed, bar one event Nico truly did not want her to see. She wondered absently if Nico's knee still pained her from that consequence, however unfair she might have judged it. Just for a chance to see her, to try to speak to her. How many times had she risked that? She'd been successful thrice, but how many others had ended in failure? Karolina wasn't sure, but knew it ultimately did not matter. Nico still did it, endured it, overcame it. 

Her eyes snapped open when a heavy weight flopped beside her and a small bit of cold, foamy liquid sloshed onto her arm. 

"Pardon the intrusion," Chase said, stretching out beside her, a beer in each hand. "But I have come to collect the tea of the evening." 

Karolina laughed and snatched one of the offered bottles, thankful Chase's spill wasn't too bad. "I thought we had been quiet enough sneaking back inside." 

"You were. Until you threw yourself into bed like a melodramatic telenova protagonist. Shook the whole damn house." 

She swatted him for that but laughed all the same. 

"That certainly doesn't sound like me." 

Chase rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just spill it before I start making up a story to explain why you were sneaking back inside. What did you do? Where did she take you? What did she show you? What did you  _ do  _ with her? Or, better yet, what did  _ she  _ do with  _ you?" _

Karolina sighed and resigned herself to her fate. "We didn't _ do  _ anything. I mean, she did exactly what she told me she would do. She tied our wrists together and cast this spell that took us into another dimension." 

"Like the Dark Place?"

"No, not at all. It was an enormous library, filled with books on literally anything.  _ Anything.  _ Dreams, memories, lifetimes, prayers, everything was written. When we read her book, it was like I was there--not physically, more like a disembodied sort of way--and watched  _ everything. _ She had told us the truth. She didn't know how long she would be gone. Do you remember those nightmares I had? The ones of her?" 

"The mirrors, right?" Chase said. "You were distraught by them. Afraid to go to sleep afterward." 

"That was her. She was trying to talk to me, using mirror magic, but it never worked. Not really. I would just see her but I couldn't hear her." 

"And you thought she was visiting from the grave." Chase murmured. "Fuck." 

"Right? Later in her training, the Grand Master took a special interest in her, after she had been caught trying to talk to me. They had beaten her senseless, Chase, she was bruised and bloody and could barely walk… But after that the Grand Master wanted to know more. And we saw… so much." She chuckled dryly. "I'm not sure I believe it myself." 

"Well, come on, I might believe it." He urged her. 

Karolina drew a breath. "Remember this morning when we talked about that last night at the Hostel? That fight? When you came down the stairs and saw… well, you saw  _ you _ bleeding on the floor?" Was that conversation really such a short time ago? It felt as though ages had passed.

"Yeah, concussions will do that to a guy." 

"You were concussed, but you also actually saw that. We all did, we just… thought it wasn't real. We were high on adrenaline and the fight and probably sporting TBIs, but the reality of it is that we were witnessing a time traveler." 

"Wait, so that was for real? When she spoke about it?" 

Karolina looked at him sideways, though nothing about his demeanor suggested he was kidding. "Yes. We all agreed we'd seen it. Why would you think--" 

Chase threw his hands up. "I mean, it makes more sense! Right?" 

"I, I guess, but Chase--" 

"I'm sorry, I just… I didn't think that could have happened… I don't have any logical train of thought to contest it, but I just couldn't accept it." 

"It's true." She offered. "I can go into more detail, if you'd like." 

He shook his head. "Give me a minute."

So she waited. He pondered silently, drumming his fingers against his temple as he did, desperately trying to make sense of everything. 

"You had--" 

"Wait. Not, not yet." He interrupted, one hand coming to scratch at the two-day-old whiskers on his jaw as he thought. Then, he took a long draught of beer. "It was another timeline. A me, coming to stop something. Change something. Right?" 

She nodded. 

"But why would I do that? Then all of us could be in a time paradox as you, and I, saw the future Chase and the me-me Chase, which would then mean the physics of our world could now be altered, but to do that--" 

Karolina tuned him out for a moment and let him ramble incessantly to himself while she drank her beer. She knew as much about theoretical physics as she did rocket science and was equally disinterested in both. It wasn't that she disliked physics or wasn't curious about the actual science behind what she'd seen in Nico's memory. She just couldn't wrap her brain cells around the technicalities of it and certainly didn't have energy to try at the moment. 

"Okay," Chase sighed, his hair now agitated and bottle half-empty. "What was the reason?" 

Karolina picked up where she left off seamlessly. "In that timeline, 'time-traveler Chase' timeline, Gert died fighting Morgan. You, or that version of you, spent three years developing technology that could send you back; send all of us back. And when we got there we did what we could to help ourselves in the fight and that future you took the hit for Gert, erasing that alternate line. The you we saw died to keep her alive." 

His jaw went slack. He blinked a few times and drew a large breath. He seemed speechless, something that was uncommon these days. Limply, he leaned back against the headboard and drained his bottle. 

"I… I don't know what to say. That's what she meant by 'bring her back.' I had thought she meant we had broken up or something, that's what I wanted to go back and change." 

"She didn't go into much detail this morning, but I saw everything in that timeline. She's downstairs right now because of you, Chase, regardless as to how indirect it might be" Karolina said, reaching for his hand. He seemed grateful for the contact and squeezed her fingers gently. 

"I'll need to remember that the next time we argue," he said with a weak chuckle. Humor was lost on him, though, as his eyes were glassy. He wiped at them furiously and cleared his throat. "All right, enough, damn it. Continue, please." 

"You sure? We could do this--" 

"No, no, no, I'm fine. I'm good. Who's fine? Me. I'm good, let's do it. So I croaked, right, and that erased that other timeline. What next?"

Nervously, almost with guilt, Karolina continued but resolved to shorten the recap. "The Grand Master was interested in that event because she could see the fold in Nico's timeline. But when she looked at it, something else caught her attention too. It was disjointed, unattached to the original. When she entered it, it was something Nico had never seen before. It wasn't another timeline, the Grand Master called it an option. Something that could happen. 

"We were all together again, though the setting was distorted, like a dream almost. And we watched from Nico's perspective, rather than third-person as we had her other memories. Nico was under something, the ground I think, and she just started rising up above everyone. She looked down and saw me and then there was this beautiful blue light, and then she saw Morgan, and the Master pulled her out of it." 

"Morgan? We were fighting Morgan? How?" 

Karolina shrugged. "The Master said Morgan was banished, not killed, and whoever can be banished can be summoned again. They figured her coven could have the potential to bring her back, but refuse to intervene if they did. When Nico graduated, she went back to the Dark Place to look for her and found nothing." 

"How long was she there?" 

"Three weeks. Four months' our time." 

He nodded. "And then?" 

"She went home. Asked about me, Tina was as kind to her as she was to me. Then lied to her about why she was coming here. Nico tagged along, wanting to get her thoughts straight about me, and then there she was in the dining room." 

Chase was silent for a long moment. Finally, he drew another breath and nodded. "All right. Cool. When do we fight?" 

Karolina balked. "Wait, what?" 

"Morgan. Fight. When do we do it?" 

Her heart soared. She knew she could count on him, regardless of any conflicting feelings towards Nico at the moment. He was solid, unwavering in his convictions. He would fight with them. He would take their side.

"We, uh, we don't know yet. We don't even know if we are. It's only an option. Not a for-sure thing." 

"Well, if she's not in the Dark Place, where is she? Her coven had to be pissed, it makes sense for them to bring her back. Let's hunt her down and make sure she can't fuck with us." He was afraid, she realized. His fear was masked by ferocity, but she knew him well enough to recognize it. He didn't want to risk losing Gert. Again. There wasn't another sacrifice to be made this time. And if vicious ferocity meant the difference, he was happy to supply it. 

She, however, was keen to breathe for a moment. "Listen, let's take some time and relax a bit. We'll talk to the others, start doing some surveillance, recon, whatever you nerds do, and when we get a hit, we'll check it out. We're not running all over the earth to find a needle in a haystack when the haystack is literally multiple dimensions. We'll chill out, enjoy some downtime.  _ If  _ she is back, she can't know that we're looking. We have that element." 

He heaved a sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Wait, that library you mentioned. Are lifetimes recorded there?" 

"Yes, everyone's." 

"So Morgan has a book there?" 

"No, Nico said it wasn't uncommon for Witches to go and remove their own books, and Morgan's was gone. It's hard to get another person's book to cooperate enough to read it, but obviously it's not impossible to." 

He shot her a glance, but decided not to ask how books could be uncooperative. "And these books, are they complete?" 

"No, they record histories as they occur."

Chase nodded smartly. "Ask Nico to pull all our books. It's safer that way, just in case. Then we'll set up some surveillance alerts and wait. I  _ guess.  _ I don't like it though." 

Karolina lifted a shoulder. "I don't either. But we don't even know anything right now. She said it was an option, not a fact. We might not have to do anything, and if that's the case I'd rather spend my time here enjoying myself without thinking about hypotheticals." 

"You're right," he admitted. "Let's do just that, then. But you're not completely off the hook. You never told me why you were sneaking in. Where'd she take you?" 

The blonde bit her lip. "We drove. Well, she did. And that's it, we just drove around town, the country, aimlessly. It was nice, just being with her." 

"That's all you did? Just drove? Didn't talk or anything?" 

A blush rushed to color her cheeks, embarrassed. "Well, no, we… we sang together. Like we used to. Everything felt so familiar. So easy." 

To her relief, Chase smiled, charmed. "Did you kiss?" 

"Chase!" 

"You did! Look at you, of course you did. How do you feel?" 

Still embarrassed, she rubbed her cheeks and finished her beer. "Part of me is... elated. Ecstatic. Another part is uncertain. We're so different than we were all those years ago. And what I did to cope…" 

"Does she know about that?" 

"She does. And was… cool with it? Understanding? Not jealous or anything. She expected it and it didn't really make anything easier." 

Chase fell silent for a moment. "Do you want to be with her?" 

Her heart leaped. "I want to know who she is now." 

"Not what I asked." 

Karolina huffed. "I… I feel like I do, but I'm also…" 

"Afraid? She mastered the darkness, she's not going to be lost to it." 

"No, I'm not afraid of that, or her. I feel… maybe like I'm not deserving of her anymore. I didn't trust her strength before. I was afraid of what she could do. I lashed out at her for wanting to learn more about it." 

"But you also supported her when she left." 

She shrugged. It was true, but didn't help that much. "I also slept with half of UCLA to cope afterwards." 

"That's an exaggeration, but nonetheless doesn't lessen your value as a human person. Listen, the only person who can decide if you're 'deserving,' which I must say is a terrible word choice, is her. She gets to make that call. You both went through shit, coped in ways that weren't the healthiest, but you made it out and now you have a chance to maybe get back what you had. You didn't do anything wrong. For all we knew she was dead, like what the fuck were we supposed to do? If you  _ both  _ want each other, fuckin' go for it. You lost her once, you really wanna risk losing her again? Consciously this time?" 

Karolina twiddled with her hands. She hated when he spoke like this. Not actively against her, but not putting up with any self-pitying bullshit either. He would never tell her what she wanted to hear, but he also never stood in her way of doing what she wanted. It usually didn't make decisions easier, but she valued his candor more than he knew. He would say what she needed to hear, and even though it was difficult, she loved him for it. 

"No," she finally said. "I don't want to lose her again." 

"Then love her," he said, slapping her shoulder. "So, she kiss you or you kiss her?" 

"First time I kissed her. Second time she kissed me." 

"Oooo, two kisses? Look at you, Dean."

She rolled her eyes. 

"At least she reciprocated, right? That's promising. What'd it feel like?" 

"It was too quick to really feel anything--" 

"Don't try to bullshit me, Kar, I know better." 

He did know better. She knew he did. 

"It felt like… coming home," she said softly. "It felt familiar and warm and… everything I've missed. Everything I could ever need." 

Her friend smiled warmly. "Sounds like you'll be fine. Give it some time. Spend time with her. I'll chat with the others… not quite so intimately, mind, and I'm sure we'll be back to eating pizza and playing Monopoly in no time." 

"No, not Monopoly. We want to like each other, remember?" 

"Twister, then?" He asked, wagging his brows. 

"Christ alive, stop," she said. She shoved at his shoulder, but it was without malice. 

"Fine, fine. Slopes tomorrow then. Invite her to come." 

"That, I can do," Karolina chuckled, relieved. 

"Good. Please do. As loathe as I am to admit it, I missed the short little spitfire myself. Now, get some rest. Unless of course, you'd like another beer?" 

"Tempting, but no," she groaned. "I'm exhausted. Tomorrow evening maybe." 

"I'll hold you to it. Good night, Kar. Love ya." He said, genuinely meaning it as he rose.

"Love you. Hey, Chase?" He turned at the door, expectant. "Hug Gert extra for me."

He smiled, sad and a bit wistful, before nodding and closing the door softly behind him to leave Karolina to her thoughts. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my loves! We're back at it again and I must say I did put a lot of effort into this chapter, I dearly hope you enjoy it. As usual, please let me know of any discrepancies you might find along the way, or feel free drop me a line about anything else! 
> 
> I do expect another little hiatus, I gave quite a bit to this chapter and might need some time to get the creativity flowing again. I will return, of course, and y'all are welcome to chat with me on Tumblr. And a special thanks to those who shot me quick little tidbit requests, which I am still accepting. 
> 
> Now y'all buckle up and get ready for some fluff cause lorde have mercy she's FLUFFY. Our girls finally get their full reconcile.
> 
> Love y'all ❤  
> RC

The world was dark and cold. Wind slid between the trees and disturbed the fine power of fresh snow, sought out spaces between windows and doors. Warmth could be found inside, though, tucked under soft blankets and dry sheets. 

The moon had been lost to the horizon, behind the clouds, and no light was permitted to shine through. It was still in the silence before dawn, broken only by ghosting breaths and rustling branches scraping against one another in the wind. A peculiar emptiness seemed to emanate, and it was this emptiness that Karolina woke to. There was no reason to wake, so early the hour and so dark the night. Nothing had roused her. It was an odd thing. No dreams lingered with her, no memory of nightmares outrun. She, however, woke restless, keen to shake off whatever intruded her sleep. Under her blankets, she turned to her shoulder and burrowed into her pillow, but sleep would not take her. 

Time passed, and gradually she accepted the fact she was up. She wasn’t groggy and tired as she normally was in the mornings, instead her wit was sharp and her eyes were bright despite having slept only a few hours at best. Rising, she donned her fluffy robe, brushed her hair out and made her way downstairs as quietly as she could. 

The rest of the house was still and silent. Karolina was careful as she maneuvered through the shadows of the halls and rooms, not keen to wake her housemates so early. In the kitchen, she set the kettle to boil and got a mug down from the cupboard. 

“Would you mind getting one for me?” 

Nico’s voice, unexpected though certainly welcome, startled the blonde and she nearly dropped the cup. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Nico said softly, still rumpled from bed. Her hair was laying mostly flat, but it was evident that she had tossed and turned all night.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” Karolina returned with a soft chuckle. “I was trying to be quiet.”

Nico shrugged from her side and accepted the mug offered to her. “I’m a light sleeper these days. What has you up so early?” she whispered as she rooted around for teabags and sugar. 

“I’m not sure,” Karolina frowned. “I don’t remember dreaming at all, no nightmares, nothing to wake me, I’m just… up.”

Nico nodded. “It was the cold, for me. Sunroom gets chilly without the sun.”

“You slept in the sunroom? It must have been freezing in there, here,” Karolina said softly, stripping off her robe. Before Nico could protest, the blonde had draped it over her shoulders, still warm with her body heat. The Witch looked small and soft wrapped up in powder-blue fleece, but at least now she’d be warm. “You should have asked Molly if you could stay with her. Or me, even.”

Nico smiled awkwardly. “No, I didn’t want to face Gert if she decided Molly and I were on too good terms too fast. Besides, I’ve slept through worse.”

That was certainly true. This little blast of bad weather surely had nothing on Tibet’s snowstorms. “Still. There are plenty of warmer places to sleep.” She turned in time to see the kettle steaming and quickly took it from the burner before it could whistle. 

“Maybe tonight it won’t be so bad,” she murmured, remembering how much sugar Karolina liked with her tea as she prepared their mugs. 

“Maybe,” Karolina said softly and began pouring hot water. “Should we take this to the living room?”

Nico shook her head. “No, Alex passed out there sometime during the night. Dining room is too close, we might still wake him. Sunroom is doable, but you’ll be cold if you don’t take your robe back.”

“Mine, then,” the blonde decided. “Come on,”

They made their way upstairs again, quietly stealing over the floorboards they knew to be squeaky. Once safely in Karolina’s bedroom, Karolina grabbed the blankets off her bed and wrapped them snuggly about her shoulders, chilled after gifting her robe to Nico. Cross-legged on the bed, they both looked out the large bay windows into the dark and dreary landscape beyond. It was a little lighter out there now, but not by much. 

“I spoke with Chase last night,” Karolina said, still softly even without the need to whisper now. 

“Yeah?” Nico said, intrigued. 

“He was… interested in how we spent our time together yesterday.”

The Witch had to laugh at that. “Oh really? Well, it certainly was interesting. What did you tell him?”

“Most everything. He didn’t seem to believe what you’d said earlier about the time-travel, and when I explained everything about it to him, he sort of… short-circuited?” 

Nico laughed behind her mug. “Well, it is a lot to wrap your head around.”

Karolina could only nod. “I also told him about the Masters, and what they said about Morgan. He’s willing to fight with us, if it comes to that.”

Nico tried to hide it, but her relief was palpable. “That’s good to know… I hope it doesn’t come to it.”

“If it does, he’s with us. He wants to get Alex on board as well, set up some techy surveillance alerts and the like so if there is cause for concern, we’ll know about it.”

Nico frowned. “He’s going to talk to the others? Tell them I’m not some shitbag who only wants people to fight for me?”

Karolina had anticipated nothing less. “They’ll listen more readily to him, as he comes from a place with less bias. No bias, actually. I think it could be worth it.”

The Witch puffed out her cheeks and sighed. “I guess. I don’t like having other people speak for me.”

“I know,” Karolina said, stirring her tea. “But you know how volatile they can be. They tend to bite first and listen later, especially Gert and Alex. Molly shouldn’t have any objections, though.”

Nico had to smile. “No, I doubt she would. She’s grown so much.”

“She’s the head cheerleader now, too,” Karolina said proudly. “But I’ll let her catch you up on that, she’d love to tell you all about it.”

“I’d love to hear it.”

“Chase also wanted me to ask something of you. He asked if you could remove our books from the Library. That way we’d all be protected, maintain that element of surprise if Morgan tried to get into our books.”

Nico considered silently for a moment. “I can do that, no problem.”

“Will you need any help?”

The Witch smiled as she sipped her tea, just now cool enough to drink comfortably. “Yeah, I could use a hand. We’ll go after we finish our tea. Let’s take some time to enjoy the morning.”

Karolina nodded and they fell to a companionable, comfortable silence. It was relaxing, watching the clouds lighten ever so slightly, still grey and heavy, but tinged with light in the East as the sun reluctantly made its way into the sky beyond. It was nice, just the two of them awake while the world lay asleep, leaning against one another as the awkward tensions of uncertainty began to melt away. They were comfortable with each other, content to sit side by side with no words between them. Existing together, with no expectation or hesitation. Karolina was elated. Nico was relieved, though still a little tentative about overtly showing affection. She wanted to, but still wanted Karolina to move first as she had before, to tell her it was okay to do so. 

Finally, her mug empty, Nico set it aside and turned to face Karolina fully. She offered her hands, which the blonde took readily. 

“We won’t need any candles or the rope?” she asked, confused and a little afraid. 

Nico shook her head. “No, not anymore. Once you eclipse with someone, you’ve connected with them. A sort of residue is left behind, even though I released us both from the binds of the spell before, it doesn’t change the fact that our bare souls have touched one another and that mark is permanent. We can’t lose one another while journeying.”

The blonde sucked in a breath. “What about the Earth? We were connected to it last time, too.”

Nico flushed. “That… was more symbolic than anything. I could light the candle if you’d like, but it’s really not necessary. I can find our way back.”

Karolina smiled with a nod. “Okay, I trust you. Together?”

The Witch nodded, and reached out her hands. She held the blonde’s face as gently as she would a wounded creature, her fingertips stroking softly and surely over her skin. Karolina nuzzled into her hands, letting the weight of her cheek rest in the other’s palm. With confidence, Karolina's hands mirrored Nico’s, holding her as though she were hallowed. 

A thumb traced over a perfectly manicured brow. Another followed the soft line of a jaw. “Together through the veil,” Nico murmured. 

Their eyes closed, and Karolina met again the weightless darkness she’d met before. It wasn’t scary this time, though. Robbed of any other senses, she found Nico was right; she could feel her easily within the void, the only warmth to find while a hungry emptiness surrounded everything else. She could feel Nico reaching for her, could feel her searching, tugging at the strands that were made the first time they had traveled here. She met her halfway, and savored her embrace. It was easy to be affectionate here, to hold and squeeze one another close. There was no question, no chance of unwelcome touch, just warmth as they held one another. It was unlike anything else she'd ever experienced, and gave herself fully to it. They melded together, halves meeting equal parts, brushing against one another as they slid into place. 

Their souls collided, familiar and comforting and Nico felt just as she had when first they'd touched, but this time, Karolina allowed herself to savor it fully. To Karolina, Nico felt as she had when they would lay together years before, wrapped in limbs and sheets, their bodies pressed so close together their heartbeats synchronized; bathed in morning sunlight, uncertain if the sun or the other hungered for her more. Karolina relished in that feeling, half nostalgia and half longing, grateful she could feel so intimately connected to the other again. She had been honest when she said she didn't want to lose her again. If she was hurt, so be it. Nico was worth that chance, worth a reconcile for painful matters outside of their control. Tightening her hold, she allowed herself that chance, and her soul itself shivered.

Tangled by their very essence, the cores of them both, interlocked and held fast. It was warm there, the heat of them together, and that warmth burned the darkness away. It was over too fast Karolina thought as she felt the world turn. Physics righted themselves and sorted out the new atmosphere, and the sense of smell was the first to return as she felt her body manifest again. Books perfumed the space heavily, old leather and yellowing paper, ancient wooden shelves and dust that hadn't been disturbed in centuries. 

The floor became solid beneath her and upon opening her eyes, she saw Nico had manifested in front of her, in the same room they had left after reading Nico's book. They still held one another as they did in the cabin, and Karolina couldn't help but place a tender kiss on Nico's forehead. It was an intimate, delicate thing. It was also an easy thing, something that felt right after embracing one another's souls. 

Karolina could still feel it, Nico's warmth against her chest. Her heartbeat thrumming against her own. Their breath one breath. 

Nico shuddered under her and pressed closer. The intimacy was not lost to her, for she had felt it, too. Their embrace, their essence, burned. It coiled in the pit of Nico's chest, echoed in her pulse. It raced down her spine in fiery tendrils, and she willingly gave herself to it as she tilted her head, kissing first Karolina's cheek and then her lips. 

It was intense. The blonde let out a surprised gasp at Nico's kiss, but eagerly responded. She kissed her with matching enthusiasm, nipping gently at her lower lip and let her hands travel to the small of her back to pull closer. Her eagerness betrayed her, however, as her balance faltered and she stumbled into a shelf. They broke apart, breathless and blushing furiously. 

"I… I'm sorry," Karolina started. "I didn't mean to." 

Nico, color high on her cheeks and her breaths coming short, grinned at her. "You're sorry for kissing me? Or for stumbling into a bookshelf?" 

The blonde brought a hand up to her hair, mussing it slightly. "For stumbling. Definitely for stumbling." 

Nico let out a breath, and batted her hair out of her eyes. "Books," she reminded herself, her cheeks still impossibly red. "We're here for the books." 

Books, that's right. Karolina shook her head. Even in this plane, so different from her true breathing body, Nico rattled her easily. Her touch was electric and left her yearning. Here, they were souls bared and manifested to explore the Library's riches. She was anxious to know what it would feel like back in their plane. But for now, they were here for books. 

Mentally shaking herself, Karolina scanned the area around her, noting the lectern she'd stood at before. "Let's split up, grab whatever we see and meet back in a few? Should we take our parents' books?" 

Nico considered silently. "Your mother's. Let me know if there's any difficulty. But please, whatever you do, don't try to open them." 

The blonde nodded sternly and set off into the towering shelves. She knew she was going the wrong way, but felt compelled to walk amongst the books of the deceased. It was a little unnerving to be back in the enormous chamber, with its lecterns and podiums of marble and dust, but she could perceive it and its importance more easily than before. Before, she'd been distracted by her sense of betrayal, focused only on the answers that waited here. This time, it was different, just as the eclipse had been different. 

The history within these walls hit her. People who lived long before her oldest living relatives, people who watched the walls of Rome rise, people who watched countless cities laid to ruin, people who built them up again, those who lived before cities had walls or doors or names, those who were there when the secrets of Alexandria were written and burned, all the nameless and forgotten in the history books were kept safe here. Their legacies were kept _here_ where she stood. It was an honor and a gift to stand where she did, but it made her feel very small, too. It was as if she walked in the halls of God, as nameless and immense as the histories which surrounded her. She wondered absently if books were all that was kept here, if there were tablets or scrolls stowed away somewhere. 

Karolina took a moment to reflect on her thoughts, to give a dedication to those here with no one left living to miss them. She was quick to recover, however. She needed the shelves of the living, she had a job to do. Turning, she returned to the podium and navigated her way to the living's shelves. Nico had already returned with a few books and left them on a dusty table close to the lectern. Chase's, Molly's and Nico's own books sat together amongst the dust, but the girl had already disappeared again to hunt the others. 

The blonde went out on her own and explored a row of shelves free of footprints. It was difficult to tell how they were organized when so many languages were crammed into the spaces, but after five rows and a puzzling directory, she found three books titled _Alex G. Wilder_ and two titled _Karolina A. Dean_. Shrugging, she brought all five back. Nico returned with Gert's and chuckled when she saw the books Karolina collected. 

"I wasn't sure how to tell them apart." She admitted. 

Nico said nothing but lifted both books bearing Karolina's name. She studied one quite intently, running her fingers over the cover. When she shifted her attention to the other, her confirmation was quick. 

"This one," she said, holding out the second book. "Karolina Asterie Dean." 

The blonde blushed as she accepted it. "I've always hated my middle name, you know that." 

"Did you know it's Greek?" 

"Still sounds like some older woman's name." 

Nico chuckled at that. "Do you know what it means?" 

Karolina shook her head. 

"Look it up sometime. I think it's appropriate." 

The blonde looked down at the red leather-bound book. Her name was embossed neatly across the cover in elegant, sweeping gold lettering. "How are you sure it's mine?" 

The other shrugged. "It feels like you. Open it, if you don't believe me." She suggested, turning her attention to selecting the proper Alex Wilder.

Karolina shot her a look and hesitantly opened it. The book, while stiff from having never been read, opened easily. No monsters leaped out at her, no blacks holes opened to drag her into their depths. It sat in her hands with a heavy, pleasant weight. It was a few inches thick, appropriate for a life as long as hers had been, and at the back there were pages left blank. She flipped to the unfinished page and watched as an unseen author filled in her actions and thoughts. Her hands shook and even after it clattered to the floor, still the book kept scribbling, disconcerting her further. 

"I know it's a little freaky," Nico said, picking up the book and setting it with its siblings. "But it is yours. It's not anything to be afraid of." 

Karolina let out a breath, feeling lightheaded. "Yeah, not afraid just… I'm not as used to this as you are, I guess," 

Nico rubbed her shoulder. "That's okay. How about you sit down and I'll get your mom's? Take a little breather." 

She didn't want to. She wanted to help, she wanted to be as accustomed to all this wonderful craziness as Nico was, but it still felt like she was being tricked and kept waiting for the punchline to fall on her. 

"No, I'm okay. Let's get mom's." 

Nico glanced at the directory, frowning. "We'll have to shadow-walk. Finding ours was easy, since we all were born reasonably close together, but your mom's will be quite a ways away. You're sure you want to come?" 

Apprehensive but determined, Karolina said, "Yeah, shadow-walking sounds awesome let's do it." 

Nico chuckled at her, but held out her hand all the same. Their fingers intertwined, and she lifted her free hand and stepped forward. A gentle rush of wind, a few steps forward, and they were in another section entirely separate from where they stood a moment ago. It looked mostly the same, though perhaps it boasted a thicker layer of dust. It also held lecturns, but these too appeared neglected. As they walked, their footsteps stirred dust from the floor. 

"Why isn't this room used? The other one we saw was so… cared for." 

"Well, I spent a good deal of time repairing that room. It was my master's new project, and one I was greatly interested in, too. I learned a lot about myself, as the Staff, there. It made the transition from Nico to Staff… easier. But this one, no one is really interested in these life stories. A few, sure, the Grand Masters and their teachings maybe, but they have biographies that are far more easily accessible, and frankly more interesting, than a detailed account of their entire lives as they lived them. You saw mine--it was interesting to you because of emotional value, but even you only saw a few collective hours of my training, not even a whole full day. These books have everything we've ever done, seen, felt. There's a lot to weed through to get to anything of value. And that's assuming you can break into the damn thing to begin with if the person in question is unwilling or unknowing. It's not impossible, obviously, but usually there's an easier way." 

"Is there an easier way for someone to learn about us?" Karolina asked. "How safe are we really just by taking our books out?" 

Nico shrugged. "I'm willing to bet we're fairly safe. In the grand scheme, we're not terribly significant. I mean, you're arguably more important and interesting than most given your heritage alone, not to mention the thousand other things you are, but none of us have done anything someone can learn very much from _unless_ they were looking for something very specific, like Morgan could." 

Karolina chewed that over, trying not to think on the other thousand things Nico thought made her significant. Ultimately, she let the thought rest unquestioned and continued to walk with Nico along the corridor.

Together, they finally found Leslie's book amongst several others. The one they wanted, however, held fast to the shelf when Karolina tugged at it. Nico frowned and examined it. Carefully, she brought her hands up, and runes and sigils lit up under her fingers. 

"What's that?" Karolina asked. 

"They're protective spells. I can unlock them, but they're complicated. Someone really doesn't want your mom's book fucked with, it even has a few sigils to alert the caster if someone breaks them. But, I can take the sigils and bind them to the book, rather than the shelf. The thing is armed to the teeth, though. They just went the extra mile and practically bolted it to the wood." 

Karolina watched silently as Nico worked, this time completely able to perceive her magic, unlike when she'd unlocked the armed door the night before. One by one, she picked at the runes like a practiced locksmith, peeling them back and reattaching them to the book itself. It was fascinating to see. Nico easily bent purple threads of magic, wove them together and separated them entirely with a sure, confident ease. 

"You're really good at that," Karolina commented softly. 

Nico chuckled. "I've had loads of practice. The armed door last night was child's play. This is a little more difficult." 

"Why don't you use magic for everything, since you always have it at your disposal?" 

Nico drew a breath and released it slowly. "I kind of did, at first. But after I became the Staff… I started to perceive it differently. Before, I just snatched at threads, anything that would bend to me. Once I saw how it works, how it actually functions, I realized you don't need to grab at it. Reach for it, ask for it. It's there, always has been, but it's almost sentient too, and there's much more of it than I thought before. But while I do use it fairly often, I don't like to use it for trivial things. Like, I _could_ use it to conjure a glass of water or turn off a light switch I might have forgotten, but I wouldn't. It feels disrespectful to me. But if you were cold, I'd use it to keep you warm. It deserves respect and kindness. It certainly treats you better if you offer those things. When you grab at it, it tends to shy away. But when you call to it, it answers. You also tend to get out what you put in. Morgan used rage and manipulation. I used fear. And now I use gratitude and respect. The problem is anyone who's connected to it speaks with it in their own way. It serves us differently, depending on our own intent. Words like 'good' or 'bad,' 'light' or 'dark' don't hold any significance to it. It simply _is_ until we ask something of it." Nico dropped her hands abruptly and turned to the blonde. "Does that make any kind of sense at all?" 

Karolina digested that for a moment. "I think I understand. I mean, I understand what you're trying to say. I don't think I'll ever be able to perceive it as well as you do, but I think I have the basics." She paused with a smile. "It's nice to see you in your element. I'm really impressed." 

Nico smiled, albeit shyly, and turned back to the book. Karolina was content to watch Nico work, and felt something settle in her heart. Reaching out a tentative hand, she gently stroked along Nico's wrist. The skin was soft and warm there, and she found herself aching. The other smiled at her fondly, but did not stop her work. Karolina could feel her heart quicken in her chest. She'd been honest with Chase the night before and, after sitting alone with her thoughts all night, was ready to embrace them. She missed Nico. She loved her. And she didn't want to lose her again. Affection came easily, and didn't feel unwanted. Nico responded to her touches with soft smiles and gentle encouragement, trying her best not to rush her but also trying to convey that it was okay. Nico needed to know Karolina was too, needed to be shown in a more palpable manner. 

The last sigil came free, and Nico gently coaxed it back to the book itself. Satisfied, she nodded smartly and pulled it from the shelf. It came free without fuss. 

"Hey, let's grab Janet's, too," Karolina said, pulling herself from her stupor. "She'll probably help Chase with the surveillance and alerts and stuff." 

Nico nodded. "Good idea, let's go." 

Another shadow-walk, and they found a few books bearing the name Janet Stein, but Nico skirted over them and pinpointed the correct one. Karolina couldn't quite explain it, but somehow the others didn't feel quite right to her either. It wasn't affixed to the shelf as Leslie's had been, and joined the others easily. Ready to depart with books in hand, the two stood facing one another. 

"This will be a little tricky," Nico said, adjusting her grip. "But give me the other books. I can bring them over, but I think you might get a little distracted during the eclipse." She said it with a fond smile and Karolina could feel her cheeks warm. 

"It's an odd sensation," she defended weakly. "But you're right." Carefully, she stacked the eight books in Nico's arms. They were heavy, she knew, but the Witch seemed to bear them easily enough, the muscles of her arms and shoulders had developed quite a bit during her time away. 

"You can't close my eyes with your hands full," the blonde noted, looking away from Nico's arms. "How will we eclipse?" 

Smiling, the Witch turned her back. "Hug me," she said. 

Karolina did. Wrapping the girl in her arms, the blonde pressed her chest against her back, her chin coming to rest on her shoulder. The shorter girl turned her face into the other's, nuzzling her cheek with fond tenderness. 

"Close your eyes," she whispered. 

She already had. Her hands snaked around to clasp at Nico's stomach, pulling her closer as she did. 

"Find it, that little niche, and fall. Pull me with you, you know what it feels like," she said. "I'll push a little, but you'll need to do the brunt of the work. You can do it, though." 

Karolina did know, and she did feel it. Almost like a small latch in the dark, just enough to slip the barest hint of her awareness under, but it was there and responded to her touch. Pulling the girl against her, Karolina started the eclipse herself as her soul began stirring, reaching for Nico. The Witch leaned into the touch, sighing as Karolina fell backwards, and gently pushed them both across the veil. 

This time, however, they did not collide as they had before. There was no searching, no separation. They fell into the void together, coalesced and whole, and when they shed their outer skins, their souls had little space between them. Warmth enveloped them, and Karolina felt Nico snuggle closer to her. She responded by tightening her hold, and felt the other's joy as she did. 

Their searing heat rushed over them, and this time, there was no cold darkness to blindly grope in. This time, they could see. Around them, the void was rich, royal blue, boundless and vast. Brilliant spectrums made up the two of them, one raw and blinding in pastel colors they had no names for, the other mysterious with seductive, shining purples amongst wavering streaks of black, here and there a bright flash of pink. Where they joined together, they burned like glycerin. 

Nico pressed closer, revelling in Karolina's spectrum and heat. She wanted it to consume her and was pleased when it did, sighing against the girl and drawing her embrace tighter. One by one, she felt the books leave her hands, partly sent by her and partly on their own accord to flee from their fires. As the last took its leave Nico turned, and chest met chest. 

Their hearts, still beating against the flame, sought one another and collided. Colors finally joined, and it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. Napalm colored skies and nations laid to waste couldn't compare to the heat of them, burning brighter than flares.

Nico drank in Karolina's joy, sweeter than honey and as palpable as her own bones. Karolina enjoyed this, she realized. She enjoyed eclipsing, relished in the raw prowess of their souls uniting. 

It was different with Karolina. Nico had brushed her soul against her master's when he brought her to the Pinnacle of Knowledge, had connected with him to travel as her schooling demanded until she learned how to journey alone. She'd never felt so… embraced. It was an intimate thing, regardless of the situation, but such power and energy had never reared during those eclipses. Where before she'd searched for her master, a tiny current of warmth in a sea of icy water, Karolina was always burning easily distinguishable from the void itself, even before their spectrums tore the void open. She had felt as though she were a passenger with her master, but with Karolina, she was both the journey and the destiny, gravity and velocity. 

She felt as though her whole being was swallowed by Karolina's, yet her own consumed the other simultaneously. They were a single spectrum, light and dark intermingled, coalesced. 

They'd done this before. Why should this time be any different? Why should now there be this gorgeous light? Why should now there be such intoxicating heat? 

Nico wondered these things, but couldn't care to ponder them. She instead held the girl close to her, and was held close in return. Their breath, one breath. Their hearts one beat. Their existence one searing inferno. 

And then it was over. The void fell away, glorious color and breathless heat rushed away as it was contained deep inside bones and tissues. 

Karolina opened her eyes, shivering. Nico still held her cheeks so gently her heart ached. Her soul was restless, her heart pounded against her ribs. A fire had lighted in her chest, a burning ember left over from the eclipse threatened to explode once more. 

Obsidian eyes met ocean, pupils impossible to distinguish and perfectly pink lips parted. The blonde swallowed, and let her fingers comb through Nico's hair, pulling her forward ever so slightly. 

They crashed together, lips finding lips and hands grasping at shoulders and hips. Nico hovered over her, long dark hair tickling her skin. She slipped between her thighs, her whole body pressed against Karolina's, and swallowed her breathless gasps. 

Karolina threaded her fingers in Nico's hair, pulling until the girl gave a pleading whimper. Heat traced down the blonde's spine and pooled as the sound rattled in her bones. Another hand went to her back, and found its way under a thin tank top to scratch into shoulders.

Nico broke away from Karolina's mouth, and turned her attention to her neck. She bared it for her, offered it up to her like a gift. Nico didn't allow herself to marvel at the thought, instead she favored to run her teeth over the sensitive skin there, sucking hard enough leave a mark while her tongue lashed against it. 

Karolina encouraged her, writhing under her as her hips began to move, her hands gripping Nico's arms pitilessly. A cloying heat built between them, and desperate hands began tugging at Nico's top, and the Witch was quick to rid herself of it. 

"Wait, wait," Nico panted, clutching her shirt to her chest before Karolina could appreciate the sight or thought. "Are you sure?" 

Oh, she was sure. She was very sure. Her body was screaming for contact, longing for her. She had missed her from the depths of her soul and was ready to stake her claim. 

"I want you," she murmured softly, one finger tracing gently along a prominent hip. "Please."

Nico shivered, and was just about toss her shirt aside when Molly's voice called up the stairs. "Hey, anybody up?" 

Color drained from Karolina's face as reality crashed around them.

Gert could be heard grumbling from the room next door. "Everyone is now, Molly!" 

Alex's exasperated sigh was loud enough to hear from downstairs. 

"I'm sorry, I just didn't want to be rude and only cook for myself!" 

"Oh no, not without supervision!" Chase groaned, and the rustling of clothing signaled his intent to go downstairs and assist.

Nico threw her shirt back over her head and glanced at the window. It was still cloudy outside, but it had lightened considerably. A lot of time had passed while they were in the Library, more time than what should have passed. 

"What is it?" Karolina whispered, wishing they had shut the door after their tea this morning as she sat up. Fire still roared in her belly, but it would have to be put aside for now. 

"The time," Nico said. "We were journeying for a long time." 

"The eclipses took longer than before," Karolina offered softly. "They seemed to, at least." 

Nico frowned. "Time doesn't mean anything in the void. I mean, it hasn't before. I don't know why it would." 

Karolina put her arms around Nico, pleased when she looked at her with soft eyes. "Why could we see what we did? Why did we take the colors we did? Why did it feel as intense as it did? Why did we burn like that? I doubt you know, but I'm glad it happened. And I would have been glad to finish what it started, but Molly has impeccable timing." 

Nico flushed and turned more towards her. Her nose trailed over Karolina's jawline, and she placed a careful, sweet kiss to the corner of her mouth. Karolina sighed and kissed her fully, smiling against her lips. 

"I would love to," Nico murmured against her, hands moving to massage gentle circles into the other's back. "But we should make some kind of appearance." Despite her words, she made no move to rise.

Karolina was drunk again, her hands pressed flat against Nico's shoulders. The other's hands settled at the small of Karolina's back, pulling her in. Something had settled between them, during that eclipse. Any lingering awkwardness had been burned away. Their souls had missed one another, their bodies remembered how the other liked to be touched. 

The blonde held in her arms what she'd missed for years. As angry as she'd been, as betrayed as she'd felt, Nico was not at fault for any of it. She knew that now. Tina would have hell to pay, but Nico was still _Nico._ She still kissed her as she had before. She still touched her as though she were only one who knew how. Their souls were happy to tangle together, just as their arms and tongues were. Perhaps that's what had changed. Perhaps her heart was ready to open again for her, perhaps that's why their colors burned as they had. 

Whatever the reason, Karolina was finally happy to hold Nico in her arms again. She was happy to be held by her. She was happy when Nico didn't shy away from kisses, when she gave them back tenfold. She was happy to feel like she could freely give them. Hesitance no longer followed her. It bore no weight. It was an easy thing to press her forehead to Nico's and relish in the moment as they breathed into the same small patch of air. 

"I missed you," Nico murmured, her voice barely stirring the air. "I could feel how… reluctant you were. I hope you didn't feel rushed by anything I said or did." 

The other shook her head, still pressed against Nico. "No, not at all. It was hard for me, thinking you'd just left. I should have known better, but I was so afraid. And hurt. And none of it was your fault. I don't blame you anymore." 

The Witch sighed, her breath rushing over the blonde's face. "I'm so sorry, Karolina." Nico did not apologize very often. It was one of the few things Karolina found infuriating about her, but she admired it in a way, too. Her apologies, while rare, were heavy and sincere. It took a lot for her to be sorry, took even more for her to swallow her pride and admit it. That fact was not lost on Karolina and she loved her for it. 

A palm came up to cup a cheek. "We're here now. We can leave everything behind us. Except your mom. I'm still mad about that." 

Nico chuckled softly. "You and I both. But I don't want to think about that right now. Right now, I want to think about what could have happened if Molly had an ounce of discretion to claim."

Karolina flushed darkly, tempted to apologize. Instead, she fell silent, content with her arms around Nico.

“We really should go downstairs. They’re bound to notice our absence, and they’ll talk.”

“Let them,” Karolina sighed, resting her head in the nape of Nico’s neck. “I don’t want to move.”

Nico chuckled. “Then may I suggest laying down?”

That was appealing. Nodding, Karolina stretched out and pulled the blankets over her. Nico joined her, and they settled together as they had once before. It was easy. Neither could articulate it, but they fell together again effortlessly, as though no time had passed. They felt comfort in one another’s presence, their souls contented and eased. There was still much to learn, much to know about the other. More to discover, but it wasn’t intimidating.

Nico’s lips pressed kisses against Karolina’s temple and forehead, languid and leisurely without the urgency or fire before. Her chest was warm and fit to bursting as she drank the girl in. So much had passed since she went away. The people she knew weren’t who they used to be. Hell, she herself wasn’t who she had been. But Karolina was still Karolina, though a bit brasher than before. Nico didn’t mind that; in the past she’d liked to try and tease it out on occasion with varying levels of success. She wondered vaguely how difficult (or how easy) it would be to tease out now. She wondered if the angel in her arms had fed the rebellious beast she’d seen glimpses of. The thought put aside, she marveled again at the perfection she held, and wondered if she would ever know how dearly she was loved.

Karolina could practically hear the buzzing of Nico’s rapid thoughts, but couldn’t bring herself to ask of them. Her head rested comfortably on Nico’s chest, her heartbeat a strong and cozy rhythm under her ear. It was fast, however, as though she was excited. Smiling, Karolina threw one arm over Nico’s torso, her fingers hungry as they began tracing over ribs and the depressions between them. Nico cradled her in gentle arms, stroking over the blonde’s shoulder and scratching her head. Nico smelled the same, Karolina realized, turning her face deeper to Nico’s chest. Earthy and familiar, hints of jasmine and sandalwood and inscense, undeniably feminine and naturally intoxicating. She smelled of home, of safety, and Karolina relaxed further against her.

Nico let out a soft gasp. Karolina’s eyes snapped open and saw, to her shock, pastel lights dancing over her skin. She was glowing. The room itself was lit up by her, not half as magnificent as her raw spectrum has been, but majestic all the same.

“I… I forgot I do that,” she admitted softly with wonder.

The Witch could only watch, spellbound, as colors melded together, racing across Karolina’s skin. “You haven’t glowed since…?”

The other shook her head. “No. Never once.”

Sighing, Nico tightened her arms as her heart broke. “I’m glad I get to see it.” She whispered, stroking over the soft curve of a cheek as she met her eyes. “I’ve always loved seeing you glow,”

Karolina looked away, a touch nervous. “I’ve always loved it when you try to make me glow.”

A knock sounded from the door, despite it being open. The light slowly faded as Karolina craned her neck around to see Chase standing in the doorway.

“Morning ladies,” he said, as though walking in on Nico and Karolina in bed together was an everyday experience. “Breakfast is ready, and your absence has been noted, though I am glad to see the glowstick still works.” He let himself into the room as something on the floor caught his attention. He bent down and when he straightened, he held a book. “You got them already?”

Karolina flushed, embarrassed to note she’d already forgotten about gathering the books at all as she rolled away from Nico and propped herself up on an elbow. “I figured it was best to get it out of the way, before anything happens.”

“Don’t open it,” Nico warned, seeing that the book belonged to Alex. “I’m not sure what it’ll do in this plane, but it probably won’t be good.”

“Noted,” Chase said softly and set the book down with care. “Thank you for getting them, Nico. And it’s good to have you back,”

It was Nico’s turn to flush as she sat upright. “Thank you, it’s good to be back.”

Karolina patted the bed, inviting him to sit. “Have you spoke to the others?”

“Yeah,” he said, taking the offered seat. Nico leaned forward with interest. “Yeah, I have. Molly is exactly what you’d expect. Gert is… similar. In terms of expectation, not of excitability. And Alex is oddly apathetic. He’s not very keen on getting involved directly, but seems like he would be willing to help with some technical attributes.”

“If this thing happens, whatever it is,” Nico said slowly. “Everyone needs to understand that not being there for the actual fight doesn’t mean Morgan will care less. She’ll still come for him. If—”

“I agree,” Chase interrupted. “However, I think you’re best to pitch that to them rather than preach to the choir.”

Nico drew a breath. “You’re right. Might as well face it, right?”

Karolina offered a shrug. “Let’s go.”

“Oh, Kar,” Chase said, rising and making his way to the door. “You’ve got a little…something. Right here.” He gestured vaguely to his neck. The blonde clamped a hand over the mark Nico left, flushing again. He laughed at her disposal and threw a wink over his shoulder. Thankfully, when he left he shut the door behind him.

“He is insufferable sometimes,” Karolina muttered, going to investigate the extent of the hickey in her mirror. It wasn’t terrible; she _might_ be able to pass it off as a burn from a hair straightener.

Nico was unbothered by it, busy gathering up the neglected books from the floor. “I hope you’re not expecting an apology,” Nico said, a hint of tease in her tone. “I won’t be offering one.”

Karolina rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around the girl from behind. “Good thing I don’t want one,” she quipped in return, nipping gently at Nico’s neck.

“You stop that,” Nico chided, maneuvering away from her. She really didn’t want to, though. “We can’t keep getting distracted, they’re waiting.”

Karolina pouted a bit, but agreed all the same. Drawing a breath, she steeled herself and made her way downstairs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed! Thanks for sticking around, and for all your lovely comments. 
> 
> Love you! ❤  
> RC
> 
> P.S. 
> 
> Remember that little talk we had about making this explicit? I'm still undecided and would love for y'all to weigh in. I think it's clear that our girls are gonna "get on" good terms (😉) here soon, I just need to know if y'all wanna know about it. 
> 
> If so I can do it tastefully, romantic, all that jazz, if not I can do the same with enough subtlety to make it artful. Or hell I could do both and give a warning beforehand (which I've done before and certainly don't mind breaking it up into two chapters one explicit and one artfully subtle). 
> 
> Let me know!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi dolls!!! Welcome back! I'll keep it short and sweet this go round, nothing much to report, other than I hope everyone's quarantine is going well. Please be safe during these times, I wish you all good health and security. 
> 
> Enjoy! 
> 
> Love ya, 
> 
> RC

Together, they made their way downstairs, still in pajamas and with the books in their arms. The Runaways were gathered at the table again, hot coffee and an appetizing frittata with toast, crispy hashbrowns and bacon arranged neatly. Molly hadn’t waited, already halfway through her breakfast, but jumped up to hug Nico when she entered the kitchen.

“Sorry you couldn’t help with breakfast this morning,” the girl apologized. “It looks like you were preoccupied, in any case.”

“Well, yes,” Nico said, pulling away and gesturing to the books. “We, uh, had to go get these.”

“And it looks like you’ve already made up,” Gert spoke up, one critical eyebrow raised.

“Gert, I know it’s hard to understand but she really isn’t at fault." Karolina said. "She showed me everything, every trial, every question. She was just as confused and afraid as I was." 

"Yeah, Chase told me," the other retorted. "Forgive me for my lack of compassion after watching you lose yourself for the better part of two years." 

Karolina rolled her eyes. This wasn't going to be easy, but she didn't have the heart to fight with her. The morning had put her in good spirits and she wanted to hold on to that high as long as she could. 

"However you might feel, it doesn't change what happened or how it happened and I'd appreciate some respect for my feelings and decisions on the matter." 

Gert grumbled softly and took a sip of coffee. "So are you together again?" 

The question caught her off guard. Helplessly, she glanced at Nico. 

"We, uh," Nico began. "We haven't exactly had time to talk about our current status, just yet." 

Well, that was as good an answer as any. 

"Ah, okay," Gert said, her voice lilting. "But you have had adequate time to bone, of course, if that hickey is any indication." 

Karolina winced, unable to keep herself from touching her neck. "I… burned myself straightening my hair." 

"Uh-huh." 

Molly had the grace to appear mortified. "God, Gert, don't say 'bone.' Say something classy like 'get down to business' or something." 

Chase nearly snorted orange juice while Alex barked a laugh. 

"Please," Gert scoffed. "They bone. You might not remember the Hostel, but the walls were not very thick. I wouldn't call those wails classy--" 

"We didn't have sex, for what it's worth." Nico interjected, blushing. "Not that it's anyone's business." 

"Not for a lack of trying, though." Gert retorted. 

"Be that as it may," Nico said haughtily, rounding on her. "It's still  _ our _ business. So please, butt out." 

The other measured her for a long, silent moment. "Fine. Karolina is entitled to whatever mistakes she wants to make. I'll sit and watch." 

Nico rolled her eyes, but said nothing more. Instead, she took a seat at the table and passed the books out to their respective owners. Karolina joined her, and poured herself a cup of coffee, a headache beginning to throb behind her eyes.

"This is how we  _ actually _ spent our morning." The Witch said, satisfied when the books sat with their owners. It was then she began making a plate for herself. "Please don't open them, I'm not sure how they'll react. I'll take a look at mine and we'll go from there whether or not they're… volatile on this plane. These books are our lives, every thought, dream, prayer, everything is written here. These books do not write future events, it's only as current as the moment. Chase suggested we hold on to them for safekeeping, and frankly I agree. Morgan has as much access to the Library as I do, and while these books are hard to crack open it's not impossible and we do  _ not  _ want her having any capability to know what we know or what we're doing. These books are only as safe as we keep them, so for the love of everything, don’t lose them and don’t leave them lying around." 

Alex lifted his book, brow knurling behind his glasses. "Yeah, I can see how that wouldn't be a good thing." 

"Chase said you'd be willing to help out with some surveillance and detection," Karolina spoke up. "Is that right?" 

"Yeah," the other sighed. "But beyond that, I don't know how involved I can get. The company needs me." 

"Alex," Nico said, turning to him. "If you're in it, you're in it. Even if there's distance, even if you support indirectly, she'll still come for blood. We have the advantage, but I want to be honest with you." She paused to address the group at large. "I want to be honest with all of you. I'm stronger now, but each of you have things I never will. And I needed your help the first time I faced her. Despite what I know, what I've learned, I truly feel that I'll need your help again."

"I'm in," Molly said without an ounce of hesitation. 

"No, Molly," Gert snipped. "Just because she says--" 

"It's not just because she's saying Morgan could be back," Molly said, shrugging. "It's because she's Nico and she's asking for help. I don't care why." 

Nico was speechless for a moment. Molly had said it so nonchalantly as if it didn't mean anything, but it meant the world to Nico. The girl Nico knew had grown into a loyal young woman with an iron conviction. It was an easy thing for her to say because it was an easy truth to bear, and Nico's heart swelled. 

"That doesn't change what we're--" 

"You, Gert. It might not change what you do, but it does change what I do. And I'm going with her." 

"Molly." Gert said through gritted teeth. "You can't. What if, what if something happens?" 

Molly smiled lopsidedly, a bite of frittata tucked in her cheek. "Then be there in case something does." 

The other sputtered incoherently and glanced at Chase. "And where do you stand with all this?" 

The man settled himself in the chair beside her, a gentle hand on her shoulder. "There are some things I can't live without," he said softly. "And you're one of them. Morgan killed you once. I would never forgive myself if I stood by and gave her the chance to hurt you--or our friends--again."

"'Morgan killed me once' what the fuck that does that even mean?" Gert said, shrugging out from under his hand. "I'm right fucking here, what sense--" 

"The time-travel," Alex spoke up. "You mentioned it before." 

"I saw it," Karolina said. "When I read her book, I saw everything." She turned to Nico. "That fold in time, do you think our books recorded that too?" 

Nico frowned. "Well, this is a different timeline, but there's only one book. They should have everything, any folds that could have happened. If they do, you all can see for yourselves everything that happened." 

"But will she have the fold? Since she didn't live for it?" Chase asked. 

"I'm not sure," Nico admitted. "But if she doesn't, you could read yours aloud to her. I just don't know how the books will react to this plane."

"I'll look first," Karolina offered. "If anything happens, will you be able to help?" 

Nico was concerned, that much was obvious. A gentle hand rested on Karolina's forearm, her brows knit together. "I'll do everything I can, but I'm honestly not sure what could happen." 

"It's my book," Karolina murmured, looking down at the red leather. "I'm not afraid of it." 

It felt comfortable in her hands, unlike when she'd held the others. Before, there was a palpable hesitance, a discomfort that seemed to warn her away. She didn't feel that now, and wasn't afraid as she opened the book. 

Nico held her breath. Seconds ticked by, and Karolina sat at the table, staring down at the words printed on the page. She remembered the day easily; perfectly sunny and clear, the summer before sophomore year. She was peacefully alone, lounging on the beach soaking in sunshine and the music of waves. Enjoying her own company, she was utterly unconcerned with whatever the coming year held and blissfully unaware of the struggles to come.

Breaking away from the memory, she looked up at Nico. "It's fine. There's nothing wrong with it." 

Nico breathed out a sigh. She'd seen the damage these books could do and was relieved that she wouldn't be seeing it today.

"So we can read them without a lectern. Good to know." Nico sighed, finally allowing herself to eat.

Flippantly, Gert examined her book. "I don't know what you expect from this. It won't change my mind." 

"It could," Chase said gently. "It's okay to learn new things and develop new opinions based on those things. Hearing what Karolina told me certainly changed my mind. And I wasn't expecting to hear what I did. But for now, let's just sit and enjoy breakfast together. And afterwards we all can get ready and hit the slopes. Let's all just have a good day together, yeah?" 

"Chase, we also brought your mom's book," Karolina said before Gert could get another word in. "We thought we could ask if she would be willing to help us." 

Chase brightened. "Yeah, that's a good idea, let me call her." 

Janet answered on the first ring and Chase turned so she could see everyone. She looked better than she had before, more solid with less glitching, and smiled upon seeing them together. 

"Aw look at you all, back together!" She said brightly. "And Nico, so good to see you, dear." 

"Chase, this is incredible," Nico said, awed. "It's nice to see you too, Mrs. Stein." 

"Dad and I have been working on her program," Chase said proudly. "We can call, text, video chat, anything." 

"So, Nico, how was Tibet?" Janet asked. 

"It… it sucked." Nico admitted. "But I learned a lot." 

"So I've heard. Hello, Gert, Molly. Karolina, you look fantastic, love. So good to see you, dear." 

The blonde flushed lightly and looked away.

"We were wondering if you could help us out with something, Ma." Chase said. "There's a chance Morgan could be back on her bullshit. Would you mind running some searches and let us know if you get any hits?" 

Janet appeared very concerned. "Do the others know about this?" 

"No, and frankly they shouldn't," Nico spoke up. "It's better to keep this as close as we can." 

"While I'm inclined to agree, I also remember how we barely managed to take her down last time, too, and that was with all of us." 

"I'm stronger now," Nico said. "I can face her, I just need some extra muscle. And I'm not sure how much I can trust my mother at this point." 

Janet frowned. "What is Tina up to now?" 

"We're not entirely clear on that one either," Chase said. "She didn't tell Karolina anything about Tibet or the training there, even during the worst of it, then tricked Nico into coming here. It's all very…" 

"Manipulative and malicious." Janet murmured. "Classic Tina. Chase, what about your father? Could he help?" 

"No more than you. But, Ma, if we need to get them involved we will. At this point, I really think it's best to keep everything with us. Safer for everyone." 

Janet seemed reluctant to agree. "I don't like this, but I'll help you." 

"Do not tell Dad." Chase implored. "Or anyone else, for that matter."

Janet raised her hands, shrugging. "Fine, fine. I'll text you if anything comes up. Alex, would you mind helping out? I can send you some programs that might be useful in case I overlook something." 

"That would be lovely, Mrs. Stein, thank you." Alex said from the end of the table. 

"Wonderful work you're doing with the company, dear, I've heard so much. I'll get the links to you shortly." Turning her attention to Chase she continued. "Promise me you'll let your father know if you need help? Otherwise I will shut down every power grid in the country until you do." 

"Of course, Mom, jeez. It's just not the easiest thing to do at the moment. It's only a hunch, a chance, might not even be a real thing. We're just thinking worst-case situation here, and we really don't want everyone else to lose their minds over it." 

That seemed to pacify her for the moment. "They do have a tendency to overreact." She admitted. 

"So glad we're on the same page, thanks Mom."

"Of course, love. Now, you bunch enjoy your breakfast. I'll send you a message if I get anything." 

The two said their goodbyes and hung up. Breakfast resumed, and although it was a slightly awkward affair, it felt better than it had the last time they all broke bread together. Gert was still moody and didn't contribute much, quickly retiring to her room as soon as she had finished. Chase didn't follow her, familiar with her moods, and elected instead to give her space. He and Molly were exuberant and silly, lightening the atmosphere with their antics while Alex chimed in occasionally . But more than anything, Karolina was sitting beside Nico and touched her often. She was animated during conversation, her hands talking as much as her mouth did, and Nico found herself effortlessly charmed by the girl. 

After breakfast, Nico took the liberty of cleaning up. Karolina joined her and they stood elbow to elbow at the sink, washing and drying dishes. 

"Thank you," Nico said, handing a plate over to be dried. "Don't feel like you have to, though." 

Karolina shrugged. "I don't mind. Something soothing about mundane domesticity." 

"Feels kinda like the Hostel again, huh?" 

The blonde chuckled. "Except this time there's not a family of raccoons we have to fend off." 

"That's true," Nico amended. "But still. It's nice to have everyone together, even if I'm still looked at tentatively." 

"They'll come around. Gert was quick to go to her room, but she took the book with her. I imagine she's anxious to know if we're telling the truth, and to know if she did actually die." 

"I hadn't noticed," 

"They all did. They left to read; no one's hanging around in the common areas." 

Nico frowned. She missed her friends, more than she could admit, and hoped their books could restore some of the trust she'd lost. It still didn't seem fair given the circumstance, but she knew they had every right to be weary of her. They didn't know, couldn't have known anymore than she had, and she could not hold that against them.

Drawing a breath, Nico dried her hands and helped Karolina put the dishes away. "I've been thinking," she started. "About those colors." 

Karolina arched an eyebrow as she stretched to put plates on the top shelf. "Yeah? What about them?" 

Nico tried not to think about the way Karolina's shirt rode up to expose her hips. Looking away, she busied herself with cleaning the countertop and stove. "I think they might have been our souls." 

"Our souls? You're saying even my soul is rainbow?" 

The other laughed softly. "I mean, it's fitting. In the void, you shed everything but your consciousness and whatever makes you  _ you.  _ I'm not sure what else it could be but a soul. I didn't know souls had colors, or that they could be seen. And yours… I don't have names for all the colors I saw." 

Karolina flushed lightly at that, remembering the racing, silvery pastels. Turning to Nico, she murmured, "I saw the void, too. Before it was just darkness; I thought I had my eyes closed. But I saw it last time. It was blue." 

Nico nodded, and turned away from the countertop. Facing Karolina, she let the memory of the void and their embrace within it wash over her. Her chest warmed as fire joined her blood.

"I saw it, too," she said, reaching out to stroke over Karolina's hand. "I've never seen it before. I've never seen another person's soul, I've never seen the void take color. I'm… I'm glad I got to see it with you." 

Karolina smiled, and it was an easy thing to step closer and rest her arms over the girl's shoulders. She'd forgotten the height difference between them and her heart ached as Nico looked up at her. One hand came to rest on her chest, the other stroked along her throat and jaw. Her pulse was hammering there and she was sure Nico could feel it. 

The Witch glanced down at her lips and Karolina savored the notion before she met her halfway. They sighed into one another as hands began moving, tangling in golden tresses or pulling gently at shoulders. They slid together much like they had coalesced, but the urgency they felt earlier was diminished somewhat. Instead of hungry, desperate kisses, they were gentle and unhurried, breathing in one another’s sighs. They pressed together at every line and contour, relishing in each other.

Reluctantly, Karolina pulled away. They were interrupted this morning and as keen as she had been then, she held no desire to christen the kitchen. Drawing a deep breath, she steadied herself and smiled at Nico. 

“I, uh, I think I should go take a cold shower,” she said, only half joking. 

Nico chuckled at that. “Yeah, that sounds wonderful, actually.”

“Would you like to come with us today? Skiing?” 

“Oh, Kar, I don’t know. I haven’t skied in a long time.”

“It’ll be a blast,” the blonde insisted. “Please?”

Any thought of rebuke died instantly. Laughing, she shook her head. “I guess I could see what I remember.”

Obviously that had been the right answer, for Nico was rewarded with another kiss. Smiling, Karolina left her alone in the kitchen with red cheeks and a pounding heart, already looking forward to seeing her again. 

“Wait,” she called out, suddenly. 

The blonde turned. 

“Earlier… when Gert asked…?”

One perfect eyebrow rose. “Gert asked…?”

“If we were together again.”

Karolina smiled, a small, careful smile. “Well, I’d like to pick up where we left off, in that context and all others. Of course, your opinion counts just as much.”

Nico blushed and couldn’t help herself as she closed the space between them once more and kissed her again. “I love you, Karolina.” she murmured against her lips. “I’ve loved you for years and certainly have no desire to stop.”

Karolina’s heart stuttered for a moment as the words sank in. She kissed Nico back, whispering words of love against her. It would be a little odd to settle back into life with Nico at her side, but she was ready for it. There wasn’t any running this time, no nefarious parents or vengeful aliens to fight. Well, Morgan  _ might  _ be a threat, but until she had solid evidence thrown at her, Karolina was content to act as though nothing ominous loomed in the future. A little adjustment could easily be handled, especially when the reunion was so sweet. 

Pulling back, Karolina ran her fingers over Nico’s cheek before she retired to her room to ready herself for the day. 

Nico did much the same, but instead of following the blonde upstairs, she changed clothes and brushed her hair and teeth before she knocked softly on Molly’s door. She was excited to see her, to spend time with her. Molly had been one of Nico’s favorite people as she admired how her generosity was so genuine and sincere, while her convictions were held in iron. In their youth, Nico had thought such things might simply be juvenile in nature but was pleased to see that was not the case during breakfast. Unlike her sister, Molly didn’t feel the need to raise her voice to get a point across as she preferred to let her beliefs speak volumes for her. 

She was drawn into a firm hug when Molly opened the door and saw her standing there. “Nico!” she said, excited. “What’s up?”

“I was wondering if you’d like to catch up while we wait to head for the lodge. Karolina mentioned you were head cheerleader now?”

And just like that, the two were lounging together like they had before, Molly on her bed and Nico sitting sideways in an armchair, chatting amicably about their time spent apart. This time, Molly wasn’t afraid to ask questions about her book, or her time in Tibet, and Nico was more prepared to answer them. The girl was caught in rapt fascination, firing off questions faster than Nico could answer. 

It was two hours later that another knock sounded from the door. 

“Come in!” Molly shouted. 

To Nico’s surprise Gert entered holding her book, bound in blue leather. More surprising, she did not chastise Nico for speaking to Molly, nor did she berate her sister for keeping company with the Witch. 

“Could I speak with you?” she asked, more subdued than Nico remembered ever hearing. 

“Of course,” she said, rising. 

Gert followed Nico to the sunroom and sat down beside her. She appeared nervous, uncertain. “I’ve done some reading,” she began. “And some thinking. I might have been wrong earlier.”

Nico smiled encouragingly. “That’s okay, Gert. I didn’t expect this to be easy.”

The other drew a breath. “It… just stopped. Then with the time-travel, it just jumps into it… you were right. I died that day. And poor Chase…” she trailed off. 

“Has he read anything out of his book to you?” Nico asked gently. 

“Yes,” she said, sniffling. Swallowing audibly, she rubbed her face, annoyed with herself. “Yes, he has. He loves me, he really loves me. Even then, even when I couldn’t know, couldn’t have been  _ sure  _ he loved me. He really couldn’t bear it. And you… you really didn’t know when you left?”

Nico shook her head. “No, I didn’t. I was devastated when I found out.” As proof, she pulled her own book from her things, made a mental note to find a better hiding spot for it, and read aloud the day she and Master Zhou had spoken in the garden about Karolina. It was a little embarrassing to share such intimate details, but Gert did not ridicule her. 

“I watched her, you know,” Gert said softly. “It broke my heart, but I’m so glad Chase was there. He did more for her than I ever could.”

Nico slowly released a breath and closed her book. “Me too. If I had known, Gert… I never would have put her through that. Never.”

“I’m more inclined to believe that now,” Gert said with a watery chuckle. “I’m sorry about earlier. That was rude of me.”

Nico waved it away. “Like I said, didn’t expect it to be easy.”

“Seriously, though,” Gert insisted. “Chase died for a  _ chance.  _ A simple chance at something that  _ might  _ have longevity, he couldn’t possibly have known for sure at the time. But a chance. And you have that chance now, without anyone having to die.” she sucked in a breath. “And I ridiculed you for it.”

Nico was tempted to wave it off again, but frowned at the thought. “Yeah, you kinda did,” she said, though not unkindly. 

Gert, to her relief, laughed with her. “I did. And I’m sorry. I’m glad you have the chance you do, and I really hope you don’t fuck it up this time.”

Nico laughed outright at that and rubbed her face. “I don’t plan to, that’s for sure.”

“What about this stuff with Morgan?” Gert asked after their laughter had died. 

Nico lifted a shoulder. “We can’t be sure of anything yet. It’s just… something that might happen.”

“And you need us there with you?”

The Witch took her time in replying, turning the question over in her mind. “I think… it would be better if you were. But I understand if you don’t want to.”

“No, I certainly don’t  _ want _ to, but Molly and Chase will be there, so you can bet your ass I’ll be there too.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Nico returned, pleased. 

A sense of understanding settled between them. It was a little awkward, but everyone was healing, and much faster than Nico anticipated. She’d take it, though. It was certainly better than the tension that permeated the house earlier. If a few minutes of honesty, however uncomfortable it might be, could heal what damage had been done, she'd pay the price a thousand times over. 

Chase found them in the sunroom, pleased to see them together. Gert, usually more reserved, couldn’t help herself as she got up and crossed the room to hold him. What she’d learned had shaken her, Nico realized. The details of the fold, her death and Chase’s strife, it all opened a very secret, very raw part of her. Respecting that, Nico looked away and gave the moment to them. 

“You ladies ready to go?” Chase asked after a brief moment of intimacy. “I can call a car if so.”

Nodding, Nico pulled her snow boots on, hid her book and joined the others outside. It was still cloudy out, but spirits were high as the group chatted amongst themselves like they were kids again. In a half hour, they were riding the ski lift to the peak of a beginner-level run to warm up. After they stepped off the lift, Chase wedged himself between Nico and Karolina, his arms draped over both their shoulders. 

“Ah, you guys ready for this?” he asked, sucking in a deep breath. 

The air was cold and snow crunched underfoot. Each breath burned icy and harsh, but Nico had grown accustomed to such things. Her winters spent in Tibet certainly prepared her well. 

“It’s been years since I’ve skied,” Nico said, admiring the snowy landscape around them. 

“Oh, that just makes it more exciting!” Chase quipped. 

“Chase!” Victor called from the peak. He was one of the parents who had joined the Runaways this morning, along with Dale who was about as coordinated on a pair of skis as a newborn fawn might be but still hopelessly enthusiastic. “Come on, let’s get a picture for Mom!”

Eagerly, Chase joined his father, and snapped a selfie of the two of them for Janet. Nico watched as they smiled down at the phone, her chest warm. 

“He really has changed, huh?” she said absently. 

“Yeah,” Molly spoke up, tightening her skis. “They’ve really bonded over the past few years. It’s been nice to see.”

“Good for him,” Nico said, truly meaning it. 

“Would you all mind getting in for one?” Victor asked the group at large. “Janet would love to see everyone together again.” He, for his part, hadn’t commented on Nico’s absence or sudden reappearance. According to Chase, Victor had been largely silent about the ordeal, filed it under the “not my business” category and let it rest. He, like the others, had been surprised to see her, but again had not found it in his realm of responsibility to handle. It was oddly comforting to finally have at least one person not comment or ask a string of questions, each with a longer explanation. Nico found herself liking this ‘new’ Victor and eagerly joined the others. 

Victor took another picture, everyone crammed into the frame. They all looked happy, though, with wide smiles and bright, cheerful eyes. 

“Mom’ll love that,” Chase said, grinning. 

Shortly after, they found themselves racing, tumbling, or sliding down the run in some form or fashion. Nico started out utterly graceless, sprawling onto the ground with a mouthful of snow. Karolina tried to help her up again, but Nico was offended by the blonde’s laughter and pulled her into the snow as well, shoving handfuls of it into her collar. Molly and Chase joined the heap and impromptu snowball fight, shrieking with cold and mirth. Other patrons were annoyed with their antics and shouted at them as they passed.

Eventually, they tired of shoving each other into snow and tried skiing again, and slowly Nico found her rhythm. Her knee pained her, but she wasn't going to let it get in the way of her fun. They gradually made their way to the higher, more challenging runs, only wiping out a few times. It was exhilarating and fun, blinding speed and wind and cold, and by lunchtime they all were very hungry and very cold. 

At the lodge, they warmed up by a large and blazing mantle with hot cider and cocoa before settling in for a hearty lunch. It was then the other parents joined them, except for Tina whose absence was noted by several others. Even Frank had shown up, delighted to see Karolina, and haltingly greeted Nico as well. He seemed concerned, but didn’t want to discuss the matter so publicly with everyone else present. Leslie, however, seemed pleased to see Nico seated beside Karolina, and to note the two would occasionally steal bites from the other’s plate. 

Lunch ended, and Leslie was quick to whisk Karolina away, saying something about a mother-daughter spa day and that Frank could see her afterwards. Lounging in a steam room with mud on their faces and cucumbers on their eyes, Leslie began tactful questioning. 

“So… you and Nico seem to be on better terms,” she began, gently prodding at her daughter. 

Karolina’s cheeks reddened under her mud mask. “We discussed a few things. I’d rather not get into too much detail, the whole story is quite…  _ complicated. _ ”

Leslie chuckled. “I can only imagine. Would you like to talk about any of it?”

Karolina bit her lip gently. “She, uh,  _ showed  _ me a few things. It made my perception change quite a bit. Did… did you know Tina didn’t tell her anything?”

Leslie kept her tone perfectly neutral. “She didn’t? I wonder why.”

A sigh sounded from her right. “I wish I knew. Tina could have talked to me, too… it wasn’t forbidden. But Nico never could, her teachers wouldn’t allow it. She did try though… it cost her dearly.”

Frowning, dried mud cracked over Leslie’s face. “I’m terribly sorry to hear that.”

“I was too,” Karolina murmured. “I just don’t understand  _ why. _ It was so hard for me, and for Nico. The things she went though, Mom...”

Blindly, Leslie groped out for Karolina’s and squeezed it gently. “I know, love. I’m so glad Chase was there to help you through it. And I’m sorry Nico had to face what she did alone.”

“He really is a great friend. And she really does have it under control… The things she can do now, it’s amazing to see.”

“I’m glad she was able to figure it out, honey, but what does that mean for you?”

Karolina’s voice lowered, softened. “I love her, Mom. It’s always been her.”

“It is safe to say you’re together again?”

Karolina smiled, and squeezed her mother’s hand joyfully. “We are. She said she loves me, apologized for everything, answered all my questions, anything I asked she gave me… We even… We even saw our spectrums.” she whispered, unsure if anyone else was with them in the room. 

That had taken Leslie by surprise. “Your spectrums, you said? What did they look like?”

“They were burning, but they didn’t hurt. Where we touched, it was so, so bright. Mine was silvery, shining pastel colors I can’t describe, hers was purple and oddly enough pink, had a bit of wavering black. It didn’t feel like darkness, though, that part of her. It felt… familiar. Warm. Like… like it felt to crawl into bed with her at the end of a long day.” Karolina sighed. “It was so intense. I could feel every facet of her, every breath, every heartbeat, but it was so much more than… physical. And where we were… everything was blue. Just this rich, deep blue, everywhere I looked.”

“Karolina,” Leslie began, a bit uncertain and a touch uncomfortable. She even lifted one cucumber to see if they were alone. To her relief, they were. “Was that some… metaphor for sex? With her?”

Karolina blushed fully then, redness darkening her neck and chest. “God, Mom, I appreciate our comfort with one another but I wouldn’t give you details about my sexlife! No, we didn’t have sex. We just…  _ traveled,  _ if you will.”

“Oh,” Leslie breathed. “Of course.” Her mother fell uncharastically silent, then. She was mulling something over in her head, something heavy. 

“Mom? You okay?”

“I’m fine, love,” she said a bit too quickly. “Just… happy you’re happy again, that’s all.”

It didn’t feel like the whole truth, but attendants arrived and began removing their masks. The rest of their spa day consisted of a massage, which did not lend any further time for such intimate conversation. Afterwards, Leslie made herself scarce and left Karolina to find her father. 

The two spent the better part of the afternoon catching up in the lounge, where Frank finally asked his burning questions about Nico, which Karolina gave  _ again,  _ though this time it was a much more condensed CliffNotes version. Her father seemed reluctant to accept it, but ultimately decided his daughter was her own person and would do as she wished, despite whatever objections he might have. Either way, he was happy to see her happy again and kept his reservations to himself.

Finally, Karolina returned to the cabin. Everyone was gathered in the living room, taking turns playing Mario Kart. Nico was neck and neck with Alex, and shot a red turtle shell at him to take over. Karolina did not fail to notice the Witch had an ice pack pressed to her left knee. It was swollen, she saw, and again she wondered what her master could have done to inflict such pain. Respecting Nico's privacy, she did not comment on it. Instead, she decided she would fetch a fresh pack for her when she needed one.

“Karolina! Come join us!” Alex called, bumping Nico’s shoulder to throw off her focus. The Witch shoved him back just as hard, maintaining a narrow lead as they neared the final lap. Karolina took a seat on the floor near Nico, and cheered her on to victory. Molly was trash-talking from the arm of the sofa while Gert was scrolling on her phone in an armchair. Chase, it seemed, was in the kitchen, fiddling with what sounded like a blender. After a few minutes of this, he came into the living room flustered. 

“Hey, who wants to go out tonight?” he asked the group at large.

Karolina brightened. “Hell yeah!”

“Sweet!” Molly piped up. “Where to?”

“Well, I was thinking we could start with some pizza here, then some drinks, and Karolina, you promised a shisha night.”

Gert groaned from the armchair. “You know that stuff will kill you, right?”

“Karolina, you smoke?” Nico asked, surprised. Cursing loudly, she swatted at Alex as he hit her with a blue shell and crossed the finish line ahead of her.

“Only occasionally, and only hookah.”

“It’s not any better for you,” Gert chided. Nico could tell this was an old argument, one that no one ever really won. “It’s still harmful.”

“Be that as it may, it’s still something we enjoy and do,” Chase said, eyeing Gert. “Less so now than before.”

The other rolled her eyes, but didn’t offer a response. It  _ really  _ must have been an old argument. 

“But yes, there’s this lounge/club downtown that looks pretty awesome. They have the lounge, bars, dancefloors, music, everything.”

“Aren’t lounges supposed to be kinda… chill?” Alex asked. 

“Usually, but occasionally you’ll find gems,” Karolina spoke up. “They tend to have the lounge across from the dancefloors and bars against the walls. You can choose to dance or relax, it’s pretty great.”

“I would love to join you, but I need to look into those programs Janet sent,” Alex said, starting another race with Nico. 

“Ah, come on,” the Witch encouraged. “Everyone should be together.”

“Sorry,” Alex returned. “Not really into the bar scene, you know?”

Nico shrugged, a little dismayed, but ultimately let it go.

“You all have fun with that,” Gert said, not looking up from her phone. “I won’t be going.”

“Come on, babe,” Chase said, stretching his long body across her lap and both arms of her chair. “I’ll buy you Red Bulls and vodka all night.”

“And that’s certainly not any good for you either.” she countered.

“And yet somehow it’s your guilty pleasure,” Chase quipped. “Come on, let’s have some fun with the nightlife.”

He’d gotten her, he knew. Sighing, Gert resigned and nodded her defeat. “I guess it could be fun.”

“Oh, yeah, Gert’s gonna get shitfaced.” Molly said, excited. 

“Is she coming? I didn’t know they allowed children into these establishments.”

“Eh… this is Quebec… Molly can drink if she wants to.”

“Fuck yeah I can!”

“Molly!” Gert barked. “You’re my little sister, you’ll always be, like, seven in my mind.”

“Well, too bad I’m eighteen in Quebec’s mind, huh?” she laughed. 

Gert heaved a heavy sigh. “This is about to be a long night…”

“Nah,” Chase said, lifting himself off her lap. “Me and Kar are professionals.”

“Yes, and my ‘long night’ is your ‘five o’clock happy hour’ isn’t it?”

Karolina exchanged a glance with Chase. “I mean… We  _ can  _ come back early.”

“How early is ‘early?’” Nico asked, intrigued. She had been curious to see that rebellious creature Karolina harbored, and was pleased she would get to meet it. 

Another glance was exchanged between the two. “Uh… three? Thirty?”

“Not gonna happen.” Gert said firmly. 

“Okay, two? Come on, clubs don’t start bouncing till at least midnight.”

Gert arched an eyebrow then fixed Chase in her stare. “You can be out as long as you like, but I, however, want to be dressed and in bed by one thirty, no later.”

Chase shook his head. “No, we're done when you’re done. We’ll be back here by one thirty.”

“All of us?” Nico asked. 

“Our personal policy,” Karolina said. “We arrive together, we leave together. No one ends up missing, everyone has a good time, everyone wins.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Nico said, dropping bananas behind her racer. 

Chase, victorious and excited, went about ordering pizzas and returned to his battle with the blender, Molly going to aid him. Karolina took Molly’s spot on the couch and did a little more than distract Nico from the game. She lost again, but wasn’t upset as Karolina’s lips had been teasing along her cheek the majority of the time. 

Chase, it turned out, had been busy in the kitchen making homemade salsa and chips, which Molly had been happy to help with and present to the group. Pizza arrived shortly after and everyone tucked into generous slices. 

In all honesty, Nico was having a good time playing games and being with everyone. She would have been content to spend the rest of the night like that, but a large part of her anxiously waited to see what the night would hold. 

  
  
  
  


Back in the lodge, Tina returned from whatever rendezvous that had kept her away all day. At the bar, she joined Leslie. Their bartender, already familiar with them and their tipping habits, poured their usual drinks and was quick to take his leave of them. 

"Do you care to tell me why you spoke nothing of Tibet to my daughter?" Leslie asked, sipping a glass of red wine.

Sighing, Tina stirred her martini with a speared olive. "Don't act surprised. Of course I didn't tell her. I couldn't." 

"That's a lie." Leslie deadpanned. "She told me Nico showed her something. Something that leads me to believe Nico didn't know anything about what would happen there either." 

"It's not a lie," Tina replied, nonplussed. "It's just not what you think. I  _ could  _ have told them both. I had the power to, there is no doctrine that said I couldn't. But this…  _ appointment  _ we have demanded they be ignorant of such matters." 

"I hardly think that telling them would damage any integrity of this… this thing." 

Tina rolled her eyes. "There was a purpose in not knowing. It added to the value of their trial which in turn added value to the end state." Her voice shifted then, softened. "Don't think I wanted Nico to hurt as badly as she did, nor Karolina. I know what it cost them. I also happen to know what it gave them, too." 

"It had better be worth it." Leslie bit. 

"It will be." Tina growled. "Have they reconciled?" 

Leslie snorted. "Not entirely. Earlier, she told me they were together again and that they had traveled somewhere. That they saw their spectrums there and wherever they were was blue." 

Tina remained silent, listening intently. 

"I thought it had been some… metaphor for them sleeping together, but she said they hadn't." Leslie continued. "Not that I care to know details of our daughters' sexlife, but what significance does that hold, Tina? Why do you care?" 

"She said it was blue?" Tina asked instead. The bartender arrived and wordlessly refreshed her martini before slinking away again. 

"Yes. It was blue." 

Tina lifted her glass and drank deeply. "Interesting." 

"Answer the question." Leslie said, getting annoyed with the Witch. 

"There is value there, too, Leslie." Tina returned. "Everything I've omitted, everything I've done, everything I'm interested in, there is value to it." 

"Then why don't you tell me? After all, I feel like the two of us should at least be on the same page." 

Tina chuckled dryly. A final sip of her martini and she pushed her glass away, a twenty folded neatly underneath it. Standing, she met Leslie's gaze. "Not yet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your readership, comments and questions! Hope you enjoyed this little chapter, and I certainly hope y'all didn't forget Tina and Leslie's first little meeting, 'cause something's cooking! Also, it's turning out to be a lot of fun to write the kids being kids. Should be seeing more next chapter!
> 
> Can't wait to hear from you all ❤
> 
> RC


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my loves!!!! I'm so terribly sorry for the long hiatus and I'm equally sorry to say there will likely be another one. But I didn't like the idea of Yuletide passing without giving you lovelies a little something after such a long dry spell. 
> 
> To be honest (and I believe you all deserve honesty) I've been doubting myself and my writing abilities as of late. I feel like sometimes I get caught up in details, then I feel like I become too vague, and then I question the direction of the story entirely. Then, I remember it's my party and I can cry if I want to. 
> 
> It's been a vicious cycle. 
> 
> I've been sitting on this chapter for QUITE some time, but I feel like the overall vibe is appropriate for the season, plus it was nice to just write the kids as kids doing one of my personally favorite things. It may seem a little out of character for some of them, but hey they deserve a night of dancing. Perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself, either way, I hope you all enjoy this little chapter and please, please know I haven't abandoned this story. It's simply my own personal struggle and the utter wrenching of creativity in a relatively short time given the first eight chapters. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think, and if there's anything you think I'm lacking tell me! I could use criticism, and I want your experience with my work to be positive and meaningful in as many ways as possible. 
> 
> I love you all, happy holidays, and merry Yuletide ❤
> 
> RC

By the end of her sophomore year, it was no unusual thing for Karolina Dean to wake up in a woman's bed whose name she either hadn't asked for or could not remember. It was no strange thing to rise before dawn and slink away, leaving only her memory as a token she'd been there. She'd never taken a girl back to her apartment, though. That space was  _ hers  _ and hers alone. Filled with memories of her adolescence and childhood, it was too intimate a space to ever share with someone she did not love. 

And she did not love those women. She knew their bodies, knew what they tasted like and how they liked to be touched, would let them touch and taste her in turn, but she didn't love them. A few might have sparked something deeper than arousal in her, but she wouldn't let them love her. It was all too raw to try just yet. 

So she kept their beds warm on the weekends, and occasionally on school nights, desperate for one of them to warm her soul but too afraid and heartbroken to let them. 

Respite was found with Chase. He'd been there for everything, and had encouraged her to get out and explore life. Sleeping with strangers and angering their ex-girlfriends was not what he had in mind, but for a little while her escapades were her own secret to keep. 

That changed one night when they went out together and she left him at a club to go home with two other women. She'd thought it was odd when their Lyft driver joined them in one of the girls' bedrooms, but was too drunk and too occupied with the brunette's mouth and chest to care. At first, she chalked it up to an error in the payment. 

Until he began touching her. 

It hadn't been the back of a Lyft in which the three of them began getting to know one another. In fact, the other blonde and brunette knew each other quite well, as they both dated the man in question and had arrived at the club with him. 

Caught completely off guard, Karolina scrambled to get her blouse back on, stuttering excuses. The man wasn't overtly aggressive, but he was clearly frustrated and it was enough to scare Karolina out of the apartment. The brunette chased after her and apologized, trying to understand what went wrong while also trying to talk her back inside. According to her, they'd told her of their arrangement and invited her to bed with the three of them. Karolina did not remember ever having been told, and wouldn't have agreed if she had known. Whether the music had been too loud to hear, or if she'd been told at all, she had no way of being sure. 

Crying and scared outside the complex, she called Chase. He was still at the club, remarkably still sober, and answered the second ring. Without question, he left as soon as he realized what had happened and stayed on the phone with her until she was safely in the car. 

The ride back home was quiet. She told him what happened and it was during that car ride when they made their rule. There would be no more sneaking off for drunken hookups. They would arrive together and they would leave together. They could get as wild and loose as they pleased, she could take as many numbers as she liked and he would cheer her on under strobe lights. 

It was then their nights out became therapeutic. Karolina enjoyed dressing up, enjoyed painting her lips red enough to kill a man. She didn't care for men's attention, but relished in entertaining women. She found tranquility in the night, in strong bass and flashing lights. Instead of alchohol, music flowed through her and she even learned to vogue, fairly decently she might add, at a gay lounge she came to love. It was no longer just something to get her mind off hard, unpleasant thoughts, it was something she genuinely enjoyed and looked forward to, something that made her feel alive. As they continued these outings, she discovered didn't want the numbness she found with vodka, she wanted to feel the night and the bass and flow of her body. She had been on a dangerous path at first, but Chase had been there for that, too. He'd helped her through it, guided her away from dangerous precipices, and praised her when she started doing better, when she wanted to go out and dance for the joy of it, not to become drunk and numb.

And it all felt so different then compared to now. Now, she stood in the bathroom with her makeup spread over the countertop in addition to a mixed drink she had no name for, and was carefully applying mascara with slow, purposeful strokes. Back then, she wanted to turn the head of every Sapphically-inclined woman she crossed. Now, she wanted only to steal Nico's breath as the girl had so often stolen hers in their youth. She wanted to watch Nico drink her in, wanted to see her eyes widen as she did. She wanted to impress her, as juvenile as it was. 

Satisfied with her lashes, she turned to her lips. A dainty, teasing pink would do, something to shimmer when she spoke something to catch the eye. A few practiced strokes and she was finished. It was a subtler, more natural look with warm coppers and corals around her eyes, the barest hint of blush on the apples of her cheeks. She thought it looked good, and was anxious to know what Nico thought of it. 

Her outfit was more casual, too. They were going to a lounge, after all, so she'd chosen white skinny jeans and a cute maroon blouse. She tugged on tall black boots and scrutinized herself in the mirror. Her hair flowed down her back in gentle waves, untouched by straightener or curler, and she was beginning to second-guess that decision. 

"Hey Kar you ready?" Molly's voice sounded from the door. "Woah, you look hot!" She added, seeing the ensemble. The girl herself was dressed in blue jeans and a hoodie, her favorite pink hat pulled over her ears. 

"You think?" Karolina asked. "I was just thinking I should fix my hair--" 

"No, girl," Molly laughed. "You're perfect. Let's go, Chase has the car all ready." 

Grabbing her coat from the closet, she hurried downstairs after Molly. Nico waited in the living room, and joined the others when they gathered in the foyer. When she saw Karolina, in all her glory, her cheeks flushed darkly. Sheepishly, she approached her and tentatively held her hand. It felt at once strange and familiar. Nico's hand fit easily with hers, like no time had passed between them. Nico's skin was rougher now, slightly callused from either wielding magic or some form of labor, but their fingers laced together from muscle memory. Their bodies remembered how to hold the other, how touch, and the observation was comforting.

"You look amazing," Nico said softly. 

Karolina smiled back and leaned in for a quick kiss. "Me? I just threw this together, please. Look at you," she gestured vaguely. "Stunning." 

Nico's blush didn't fade, and the notion pleased Karolina. Where, years ago, she would have expected to see her wearing some kind of goth ensemble head-to-toe, Nico now softly called upon that younger self. Her makeup was still bold, striking red eyeshadow accented with rich pinks and flawless liner, gloriously long lashes framed her eyes in wreaths. She'd chosen a red lipstick, too, one that made Karolina itch to see ruined by kisses. Her clothes were well-chosen and even unintentionally matched Karolina's somewhat. A burgundy V-neck left her collar exposed, and black jeans were tucked into leather boots suited for the snow. A jacket was tucked into her elbow, and Karolina was worried she wouldn't possibly be warm enough. 

The front door opened to admit Chase. "All right, let's go!" He bellowed, holding the door for everyone. They piled into the rental, this time another black SUV. Chase elected himself to drive, which meant Gert got shotgun by default. That was fine with Karolina as she snuggled against Nico in the backseat, Molly on the Witch's other side. 

"Alex still isn't interested?" Chase asked, hesitating to put the vehicle in gear. 

"Nah," Molly spoke up. "More interested in checking out the programs your mom sent." 

Chase shrugged. "All right, his loss." He said, and started on their way into town. 

It was a different drive than the one Nico and Karolina had went on. It wound through the outskirts of town, while Chase poorly rapped along with whatever playlist he had on. Apparently, Karolina was familiar with it, for she knew every word and was right there with him singing along. Nico, however, was utterly lost, but let the atmosphere of her friends seep into her spirit. It was comforting and warm, and it suddenly dawned on her that this was her first time ever "going out" as an adult. In her youth, she'd snuck out to high school and maybe a few college parties, but she'd never visited a lounge or been clubbing before and didn't know what to expect. 

She didn't have much time to prepare, as they were well downtown now. Neon lights were everywhere, advertising all sorts of nightlife and thrills. Nico felt her stomach turn but it wasn't unpleasant. She was excited. And, looking over at Karolina, she was with the prettiest girl in the world, with living sunshine and grace. 

Almost as though she could hear her thoughts, Karolina turned and smiled warmly at her before she gave her a light, gentle kiss. 

Chase parked and got out, stretching. "All right ladies, drinks on me tonight," 

Molly was grinning from ear to ear. "I'm so excited." 

"Ugh, should we really be letting her do this?" Gert said as she shut her door. "I mean, she's so… young and impressionable." 

"Well, she's had eighteen years of being influenced by us, so I figure she's already good and fucked up." Chase said, clapping Molly's shoulder. 

"Yeah, that's true!" Molly piped. 

Gert rolled her eyes. "You have a point there." 

"She's grown up now, Gert," Karolina chided gently. "At least her first escapade will be with us." 

"I've had a lot of firsts with you guys," Molly said wistfully. "First time running away from home, first murder plot, first alien encounter, first ritualistic sacrifice." 

"Yeah, feels right, doesn't it?" Nico laughed. 

They walked up to the door and formed a queue, each one of them were asked to show their IDs. 

"Woah I've never been carded before," Molly said digging for her wallet. She presented her license with its smiling picture, and the bouncer squinted at her birthdate. A glance back at Molly, and a double-take of the pink cat-eared hat, and he decided not to ask questions as he waved her through. Gert, Chase and Karolina passed through easily, and Nico followed them. 

As they did with every new club, Karolina and Chase stopped to scope out the scene, out of the way from anyone entering or exiting. Smoke, heavily scented by fruit, perfumed the space pleasantly while a DJ played club mixes of popular songs. Echoes of bass reverberated in their chests and in the corner with a good view of the dancefloor, where already a few drunken people had taken to, a lounge booth was empty. 

Before Chase could say anything about it, a man from a barstool nearby turned to voice his appreciation of Karolina. "Hey blondie! Come sit on my lap and I'll buy you a drink!" 

Nico was appalled and too surprised to offer any retort on Karolina's behalf. Gert was too, but she at least opened her mouth and was ready to retaliate. To her shock, Karolina beat her and answered him. 

"I won't sit on your lap, but you can certainly buy me a drink." 

"Karolina, what--" 

"Let her go," Chase said, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Watch her, she's ruthless." 

So she did. The blonde joined the man and a few of his friends at the bar, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she took a seat. To some, the act might have looked flirtatious, but it was far closer to brandishing a knife than it was to flattery. 

The man and his friends appeared to be their age, college age, and the first didn't boast any sort of Canadian accent. 

"What'll it be?" The man, clearly impressed with himself, asked Karolina. He was practically drooling over her, and his friends watched with eager eyes.

"Double shot of strawberry vodka, shaken with ice." She told the bartender. Then she turned her attention to the man beside her. "You look  _ so  _ familiar. Do you go to school?" 

"Yeah," he said, smiling crookedly. "Penn State. Have you seen me around campus? I know it's summer break, but maybe after a few drinks we can go study somewhere?" His hand splayed out on her thigh and made her skin crawl. 

Karolina frowned as she tolerated the touch, and thanked the bartender for her drink when it arrived. "No, I don't think so… do you have a sister? Maybe I know her. I do need to study, though, I've been a little lazy since summer break started. My family and I are here on vacation, one of the year-round ski resorts." 

"I'd be happy to oblige," he said courteously, a thumb stroked over her jeans. His friends snickered from his side. "I do have a sister, though. Taylor."

He pulled his wallet out to pay for her drink, graciously relieving her from his touch.

"Taylor Bradshaw!" She said after a moment. Her hand came to rest briefly on his shoulder. "That's your sister?" 

"Yeah, you know her?" He said, surprised. 

"I do!" Karolina returned. She then lifted her glass and downed the double without flinching. She set it back on the bar and locked eyes with the man. "I fucked her sophomore year. Tell her I said hi." 

And with that, she slid off the barstool and joined Nico, wrapping an arm around the girl. Behind her, the man's friends were wailing with laughter while he was blushing furiously. 

Gert's jaw was on the floor and Nico was stunned speechless. As though nothing had happened, Karolina made her way over to the empty booth, pulling Nico behind her. Chase was giggling to himself while Molly was floored. 

"Karolina Dean!" Molly said when they settled. "Since when did you become a fucking savage?" 

Karolina shrugged and tucked herself closer to Nico. "I had to learn quick, things like that happen… often." 

"It's happened even during Pride events," Chase said. "In all her rainbow glory, flag wrapped around her waist and flowing in the wind, she's had men catcalling her." 

"Disgusting," Gert spoke up. "But, man, I don't think he'll recover anytime soon." 

"He could get angry," Chase sighed. "But if he tries anything dumb, we have a she-hulk, a half-human and Hermione Granger, so I like our odds." 

A waitress came up to their table, dressed in casual jeans and a white V-neck. "What can I get for you all?" 

Chase frowned as he studied the shisha menu briefly. "I apologize, we haven't really looked just yet. I'll have water, though, I'm DD this evening but it'll all be under one tab. Ladies, go nuts." 

"I'll have a sex on the beach, please. Coconut rum and vodka, if you don't mind, and a glass of water." Karolina said. 

"I'll have a beer I guess," Chase looked up to cock an eyebrow at Gert. "You know what, no. Just Redbull and vodka, please." 

"I'll have the same," Molly said, unsure of her tastes just yet. 

Nico hesitated when the waitress turned her attention to her. "Uh, I'll have… actually, surprise me. Whatever the bartender wants to make." 

The waitress raised an eyebrow but nodded all the same. "Anything else for you this evening?" 

Chase spoke up again. "Yes, I think we'll need two hookahs, and please pack one with the rainbow and the other with the watermelon. That should do us for a while, thank you so much. Do you need a drink? The place looks kinda busy tonight." 

The question wasn't flirtatious in any way, and that was one thing Nico had really come to notice about Chase. He talked with waitstaff and ski trainers and anyone else he came across with courtesy and respect, striking up conversation with anyone who would chat with him. It was never flirtatious; he was always genuinely concerned for people and just wanted to be the "good customer" that made them feel appreciated.

"I would love to," the waitress said, exasperatedly. "Unfortunately I have a million other things to do."

"Well, come hang out with us later if you'd like, I promise we're not boring," he laughed. 

"Oh, I know. Blondie there had that whole bar in stitches. With the exception of Mr. Bradshaw, that is," she laughed. "I'll have your drinks out shortly." 

"Take your time," Karolina said as she walked away. 

"So, Karolina," Gert said, leaning forward on the table. "Just who is Taylor Bradshaw?" 

The blonde shrugged. "No idea. I happened to catch his last name when he opened his wallet." 

"Savage level one hundred!" Molly said with approval. 

Nico laughed and shook her head. "It was flawless. I'm honored to have witnessed it firsthand." 

"After you had a heart attack," Chase said, taunting her gently. "You couldn't believe it when she walked away!" 

Nico sputtered for a moment. "Well, I mean-- he said  _ that  _ to her and she just went with it? Cardiac arrest is a good response, I think anyway," 

Laughing, Karolina leaned in closer to her. Her breath smelled lightly of vodka and a bare hint of strawberry, and Nico found she didn't mind it. "You should know better than that," 

"I do, which is why it was such a shock." 

The waitress returned with their drinks and passed them out accordingly. "Hookahs will be ready soon," she added, pulling out individual plastic mouthpieces and piling them on the table.

Gert thanked her and took a sip of her mix. Molly copied her, and was determined to like it even as she grimaced. 

"Nico, what did you get?" Molly asked, the taste of Redbull thick in her mouth. 

"Looks like a mojito," Karolina said, looking at the glass in question. 

Nico shrugged and sampled it. She was surprised; it was crisp and light, limey and minty, delicately sweet and with enough rum to leave a slight burn at the finish. 

"I like it," Nico said, taking another sip. 

"Can I try?" Molly asked. Eagerly, she sampled the cocktail and instantly favored it over Gert's choice. "Sorry, Gert, but I think I'm gonna switch." She said, sliding her glass to her sister. 

Karolina chuckled softly and lifted her own glass. The pineapple was strong, beautifully accompanied by coconut rum while the vodka was a bit on the heavier side. She didn't mind though and savored the familiar burn of it. 

Their waitress, Christina, they learned, returned again with two beautiful Egyptian style water pipes. She settled them into the table, which was equipped with circular leaves that dropped lower to safely stow the bodies and stems of the pipes while leaving room for bowls, coals, and largely unencumbered conversation. The coals were contained in carefully formed foil and glowed hotly. 

Another round of drinks was ordered, and Chase passed out the wrapped plastic guards. He fitted one into the end of the proper mouthpiece and took a long, slow inhale. When he released it, fragrant smoke billowed out thickly and took its time to dissipate. 

"Watermelon?" Karolina guessed, smelling the smoke. 

Chase nodded and handed her the hose to the other hookah. "Should be the rainbow." 

Karolina selected a pink mouthpiece and inhaled much like Chase. She seemed to go slower, though, as the hookah bubbled softly from under the table. Exhaling, a sweet-smelling smoke issued from her lips in a long, deliberate column upwards. "Tastes like Skittles. Wanna try it?" 

Nico took the hose, not bothering to change mouthpieces, and inhaled. Embarrassed, she coughed and sputtered, smoke burning her throat. 

Patting her back, Karolina said, "You have to be gentler with it. Slow, deliberate pulls. If you do it too harshly, it'll burn like hell." 

"You don't say," Nico gasped, taking a gulp of her mojito to put the fire out. Rum wouldn't have been her first choice for an extinguisher, but it would have to do for now.

“May I?” Molly asked.

Karolina traded a look with Gert, who in turn looked at her sister. “Really?”

The other shrugged. “Why not?"

Removing her mouthpiece, Karolina passed the hose to Molly and her glass of water to Nico. "Slow inhale, don't try to go too deep at first." She warned. "Nico, don't take this the wrong way, but I had imagined you had at least smoked something once before and were somewhat prepared." 

"I haven't smoked anything since the seventh grade _. _ " The Witch defended, clearing her throat and lifting the glass. "Even then, I never smoked enough to get the hang of it, I'm not sure I even inhaled properly." 

Nervously, Molly tried. A gentle, shallow breath and a thin plume puffed from the hose. She tried again, a little deeper, and got a fuller smoke. She was proud of herself until the very end of her exhale when she coughed the rest and laughed. “That’s not so bad,” she said, still coughing a bit. “I don’t think I did it exactly right, but it does taste like Skittles.”

Gert then grabbed a mouthpiece, a little peeved to feel as though she were missing something, but also annoyed to find herself curious about the whole thing too. “Fine, let’s see what’s so good about this.” She took Chase’s hose and followed Karolina’s advice. With a little more finesse, she successfully inhaled and just barely kept from coughing. “Okay,” she said, frowning. “That… wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought.”

Karolina took the hose from Molly, surprised as she watched Gert go for another inhale. It was thicker this time, and left her gasping.

“Give her ten seconds and she’ll catch a nicotine high,” Chase laughed as he took the hose back.

The blonde inhaled again, and this time she competed with Chase as to who could take the most. They lasted longer than the others, and Chase was the first to break away, breathing out curling, fragrant smoke. Karolina pulled half a moment longer, already feeling the beginnings of a head-high, and blew out a series of small, tight smoke rings followed by a magnificent plume. 

Taking the hose back, Nico was determined not to embarrass herself again and slowly pulled. It was easier this time, and didn’t burn as it had before. Molly was right, it did taste good, and she found herself enjoying the flavor, sensation, and company. A light, airy feeling settled over her, and she couldn’t help but relax against Karolina, both now leaned back into one another. Passing the hose on to Molly, Nico smiled as she took another sip from her mojito, now feeling a little tipsy as well.

This was easier than she expected. After so long in isolation, it had been a bit of a culture shock to return to modern life. It seemed louder than she remembered, busier, and had taken some time to refamiliarize. But it felt oddly natural, too. She had missed her friends dearly, and was relieved they seemed to have missed her. Pressed against Karolina, Nico allowed the novelty of the feeling to consume her, a strange mix of nostalgia and excitement. She was eager to experience this alongside her companions and confidants, and pushed aside any lingering feelings of hesitation. 

Chase drew once more from his hose before handing it off to Nico, putting both hoses into rotation. Nico settled more firmly against the blonde, and was pleased to feel Karolina snuggle against her in return. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, passing the hoses around and drinking their cocktails. 

Molly was well on her way to being quite drunk, having ordered mojitos in attempt to keep up with Karolina. The blonde could easily drink her under the table but instead she paced herself, taking pity on Molly's inexperience but delighting in the girl's drunken antics all the same. Nico was about as bad, her eyes had become glassy and her speech impaired. As the night progressed, she’d taken to flirting shamelessly with Karolina, something the blonde relished. They were having a good time, and all too soon Chase called for the check. 

Surprisingly, it was Gert who groaned as he closed the tab, completely and hopelessly drunk. Chase was right, her drink of choice was a force to be reckoned with, and she’d had plenty. 

"Come on, feisty, you said you wanted to be in bed soon," Chase chided her, helping her into her coat. 

"But we didn't even  _ dance,  _ Chase!" She protested.

"Maybe next time, hm? How's that sound?" 

"You promise?" She mumbled.

Chase chuckled to himself, zipping up her coat. "On my honor." 

"A bit of dancing wouldn't hurt," Karolina piped up. "Besides, I think we all need to sweat a bit of this alcohol out, and it would be fun." 

Wordlessly, Chase considered it. Gert watched him anxiously, uncharacteristically quiet. Much to her delight, he unzipped her coat again and they set off into the crowded floors. 

An odd nostalgia churned in Karolina's stomach as she stepped into the mix of dancers. It gnawed gently at her bones. Normally, when faced with life-changing depositions, people tended to find some version of god. In her case, she'd found vodka and Beyoncé, which might just be the same thing. With bass thrumming in her chest, she remembered how it felt to give herself to the night and all it held. She remembered her carelessness, her freedom, her eagerness to learn more about the night and what place she could take in it. Now, she found she was eager to share it with Nico.

The Witch was uncertain but enthusiastic, liquid courage aiding her as she tentatively started to dance. The blonde's fingers gripped her waist and guided her through erratic rhythms. Chest to back, they moved together, and despite the music and the bass, Nico could hear the other breathing. Karolina was skilled and Nico learned quickly as she eagerly turned to face the blonde, dragging her hands over a body that was at once familiar and new. 

Maybe it would be too much too soon, Karolina thought far too late. Chest to chest, breathing the same hot air, maybe they wouldn't be ready yet. As the thought flitted through her mind, Nico rolled her hips against Karolina, relishing in the touch. She gazed up at her with hooded eyes, and Karolina couldn't tell if it had been the dim lighting or the rum that made her look so… sultry. Her heart seized at the sight. She'd forgotten how much taller she was than the other, and she ached at the concept. Karolina's thoughts were violently interrupted as her breathing hitched when Nico slipped her hands under her shirt, stroking the skin she found there. 

Karolina had danced like this before. She'd been touched like this before. But it hadn't  _ felt  _ like this before. Nico's touch made her come alive, fire lit from the inside out and yearning to consume her. Perhaps it was the memory of the void stirring in their souls. Perhaps it was that fire, that heat, that burned away anything else. As she lost her fingers in Nico's hair, knotting and pulling, as she drank in her surprised gasps, the club didn't exist anymore. No one else danced among them. As tongues collided, heat exploded and Nico groaned into Karolina's mouth. 

The two abruptly parted as a new pair of hands found themselves on Nico's hips and harshly pulled her. Someone danced behind her, grinding against her, and she recoiled away from an erection pressing into her back. Karolina was quick to respond and shoved herself between Nico and the newcomer. 

"Get lost," she growled when he turned his attention to her. "We're together." 

His response was drowned out by music and bass, but his hands found Karolina's hips despite her warning. 

The blonde threw an elbow behind her, pleased when she heard a sharp intake of breath near her ear. Turning, she locked him in a hard, unblinking stare and held Nico gently until the man mumbled some curses and scurried away holding his ribs. 

"Relentless," Karolina muttered. "I'm sorry about that. Would you like to sit down?" she asked, speaking into the other’s ear over the music and bass. 

Nico said nothing, instead she ran her hands over the blonde's chest and collar, yearning to kiss her again. The man and his intrusion was already forgotten, and Nico was eager to touch her, reawakened. She was wild with these new sensations, the lightheaded high and the drunken weightlessness, culminating into bliss when Karolina touched her. She wanted to lose herself in it and was pleased when Karolina leaned down to meet her. 

Their bodies moved as though they had never forgotten the other. They welcomed one another eagerly. Perhaps not as gracefully as they would be under normal circumstances, but heated and eager all the same. This sensual, erotic dancing soon became one of fun and lighthearted laughter, as the DJ dropped a track from their early high school days and nostalgia took over longing in a heartbeat. They danced together for the sake of it, kissing occasionally and teasingly grinding against the other, but the air between them cooled a bit. It was nice to cut loose, Karolina decided, twirling Nico around gaily. It was nice to dance with her, to dance with their friends, to delight in their unfettered joy. The blonde shrieked as Chase twirled and dipped her, trusting him to catch her but caught off guard all the same. She laughed as Molly and Gert joined their antics, lighthearted and free. 

For Nico, the night passed in a blur of color, music, and heat. Karolina was leading her off the dancefloor before she realized how much time had passed, while a part of her didn’t want to leave at all, a larger, louder, part desperately wanted to lie down. And a glass of water, for that matter. 

Gert seemed more at peace with the idea of leaving this time, slipping her coat on without much fuss. Nico got her arm caught in her coat sleeve no fewer than three times, giggling as Karolina helped her into it. 

The drive back seemed quick to her. Karolina was coherent and held her the whole way, snuggled close. A few times, Nico caught herself dozing off and before she knew it, she was stumbling up the stairs, most of her weight supported by Karolina. 

She collapsed into bed, enveloping herself in soft blankets and sheets as soon as she did. Vaguely aware of Karolina, she protested loudly when an arm slipped under her neck and pulled her upright. 

"Drink some water before you go to sleep," Karolina said softly. "I'm sure you're dehydrated, and without water you’ll have a nasty hangover in the morning." 

Groaning, Nico supported herself and sipped some water. She was offered a few Advil, which she took, and forced the rest of the water down. She didn't feel awful; the alcohol had made her a little dizzy and left a spinning sensation but it wasn't too bad. She'd sleep hard, that was for sure. 

A quiet shuffling and the sound of someone quickly showering and brushing their teeth was easily overlooked, and presently a soft kiss was pressed to her forehead. 

"There's a trash can by the bed if you get sick. Good night, Nico," Karolina murmured. 

Bleary eyes blinked open, confused. "Where are you going?" 

The blonde flushed slightly, but it was too dark to be seen. "I wasn't sure if you'd be comfortable sleeping together just yet, I thought you might want space," 

Nico stretched her arms out towards her and shook her head. "Come here," she mumbled, feebly pulling at the other's pajamas. 

Karolina chuckled softly and joined her, sliding in behind Nico. She hadn't usually been the big spoon before, but if Nico was going to be sick she'd have a better chance at getting to the trash can or the bathroom with Karolina behind her rather than an obstacle in front of her. 

Nico, however, didn't seem too concerned with that. As soon as she felt Karolina's warmth, she sought it out, nuzzling against soft skin. She sighed heavily as she settled, tucked against the other's chest, pleasantly drunk in more ways than one. 

For a long while, Karolina kept watch over her and listened to her breathing. Snuggled close like that, memories of 'before' came rushing back with ease. The first time they cuddled together, piled with their friends in the back of a Church of Gibborm van. Nico had thrown one leg over Karolina in her sleep, her arm supported the blonde's neck and securely wrapped over her chest to hold her hand. Throughout the night, she woke up several times and simply marveled at where she lay and who held her. It was the warmest Karolina had ever felt, even as the night got chilly. 

After they found the Hostel and claimed their bedroom, their nightly snuggles continued to fill her with warmth. Alone, skin had brushed skin, the ends of one pressed against the limits of the other. Passion would set them to fire and they would burn together, panting and sighing and pleading and trembling under the other.

Other nights, when they'd been fighting, they would start on opposite sides of the bed. Karolina hated going to bed angry or hurt, but whatever flame had taken her quickly died at the sight of Nico's turned back and hunched shoulder. Tentatively, she would raise her voice with a whisper to rattle the stillness between them, her body inching closer to the other on its own accord. Nico would sigh heavily and, not reluctantly, turn to face her. A gentle hand would settle on her arm and stroke upwards until it cupped her cheek. Words came slowly, and as they did arms opened. Apologies were pressed against cheeks and temples as kisses, and storms were quelled between them even if they still disagreed. Days were made for disagreements. Nights were better spent snuggling. 

Karolina was pulled from her musing as Nico stirred against her, soft exhales falling against the blonde's neck. She'd burrowed closer, and Karolina tightened her arms. Her chest was warm where Nico's cheek pressed against her. Gently, she planted a feather-light kiss against Nico's forehead. 

Karolina let her lips linger there, enjoying the moment. The other began stirring again, struggling to get closer and annoyed with the limits she encountered. They were pressed at every line, impossibly close, but Nico wouldn't be satisfied. 

"Come with me," she murmured sleepily, a hand cupping the other's cheek.

"Where are we going?" Karolina whispered back. Nico didn't offer an answer, but Karolina felt a tugging that was now familiar and she let herself be guided by it. Resting her cheek against Nico's hair, she was soothed by the solid warmth against her and let herself fall. 

The void was warm, and where before it had felt boundless and vast, it now felt smaller, contained. The way a room feels when the door is closed. Like the rest of existence had utterly fallen away and that space was left to float through the cosmos. It was softly lit by no discernable source, simply the same rich blue they'd met before. Their souls, tranquil this time, did not burn in a thousand bright colors, instead they simply  _ were _ ; no bodies, no limbs, just gentle soft colors. 

Nico, of course, was already there, and reached for her. Karolina took a moment to savor it before she met her halfway, sighing into her embrace. Still, their spectrums did not burn. They glowed with the pinks, greens, and pastels as before, disembodied from any solid form and utterly free from any earthly bindings. They easily slipped into place, as though they'd been carved to fit against the other, glowing silver and gold where they touched. Their essences tangled, and Karolina could feel Nico relax against her, finally content as their warmth collided. 

Realization fell quite abruptly on Karolina. Nico couldn't get close enough to her. Another wave of heat flowed through her at her thought, and Nico shivered lightly. She couldn't get close enough on the earthly plane, she was content only by binding her entire being to Karolina's. It was only there she felt close enough, at the precipice of the eclipse. Stripped and raw, laid completely bare in the most spiritual and intimate of fashions; Karolina was awed by such a concept. 

_ That's better,  _ Nico murmured against her conscious, a gentle wavering through their energies. 

Karolina agreed wholeheartedly, and sank deeper into the embrace. 

Suspended there, they drifted lazily together where time meant nothing and heartbeats were shared. After some time, though neither could be sure just how much, they were gently pulled away from the void and back to their own bodies by a force neither could name. It was an easy and natural return, not a harsh insistent yank, but a gentle sinking so smooth, Karolina could not recall precisely when she’d returned to herself. 

Sleepily, Nico sighed into Karolina's neck, satisfied and happy. The blonde, drifting in the fragile space between wakeful consciousness and oblivion, gave herself willingly over to sleep and relaxed against Nico’s body as she’d ached to for years.


End file.
